The Eye of the Beholder
by Tori-chan
Summary: Ranma finds out about a possible cure for his curse, and slips away without telling anyone. But those back in Nerima soon figure out where he's gone, and find out that not only is it dangerous, but that Ranma could lose his life. But none of them knew jus
1.

* * *

DISCLAIMER: All characters except for Nayami, who is introduced in later chapters, do not belong to me. *ponders Ryoga's fangs wistfully* Unfortunately. C&C always welcome, feel free to email me at saezuru@hotmail.com if you've got any comments. Thanks for reading!

* * *

  
  
  


The Eye of the Beholder   
Chapter 1 

  
  
  
  
  
_Akane stared at the crumpled, lifeless heap of what had once been her fiancé. "No . . ." she whispered hoarsely, "No . . . this can't be happening, not now, not after everything . . ." The tears came suddenly, in a rush of emotion, and she lifted the beloved body to her, cradling it tenderly. "Ranma!" she sobbed, rocking back and forth slowly. "Ranma, why now? Why? Come back, don't leave me here! Oh, God, don't leave me here alone . . ."_   
  
  
  
"Akane! Akane!!" The voice, persistent, obnoxious, and commanding, pulled Akane back away from the depths of sleep. "What the hell do you think you're doing, makin' noises like that loud enough to wake the whole household?"   
Akane opened her eyes and sat up as she came awake sharply, in time to see Ranma rock quickly back onto his heels, looking no small amount annoyed . . . and . . . worried, too? Was that a spark of fear in his eyes? Akane's heart caught in her mouth for a brief moment, and then she scowled and berated herself, _He's right. What the hell _am_ I doing? I must still be caught up in that dream. Again._ She sighed.   
Ranma blinked, still in his crouching position. "Eh? What're you cryin' for? I didn't mean to scare you or nothin'. Hey, stop it."   
Crying? Was she crying? Akane reached one hand up to her cheek, where she felt the dampness of tears. She'd never woken up in tears from that dream before. She'd also never gotten that far in it, either. She'd had it before-- three times now, to be exact. The first night she'd had it, she'd seen Ranma die. She'd seen the light fade from his eyes, seen his hand fall from where it was struggling to reach up to her. She'd woken up in a cold sweat that night. The next night, two weeks from the first, she'd not only seen him die, but been injured herself by the unknown dream antagonist and unable to reach him and be with him when he'd died. And tonight . . . tonight, she'd dragged herself to his side, and cried over his dead body. Yes, the dream-- no, the nightmare was definitely getting worse each night she had it. "Oh, gomen, Ranma." It was then that she noticed how close he was crouching to her bed, and close his face was to hers. "Oooooh . . . Ranma,you _idiot!_" She lashed out with her fist, but Ranma saw the blow coming and skipped out of the way. "What do you think _you're_ doing, hmm?"   
Ranma glared right back for a good long moment, before crossing his hands behind his head, shutting his eyes, and turning up his nose away from her. "I ain't doing nothing. You were the one sobbing and knocking things down and making all the racket. Ano . . . Kasumi sent me in to see what was wrong with you. Why would I want anything to do with an uncute tomboy like _you_?"   
_*Whaammmm!*_   
With his eyes closed and speaking out loud, Ranma neither saw nor heard the mallet coming. Twitching, fingers in the martial arts defeat position, he looked up from the floor to dizzily see Akane fuming and looking about to explode. "Hehheh . . ." he said, before everything went black again.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
"A dream, huh?" Ranma was perched on the edge of Akane's bed, as he had been for the past few minutes since he'd come to. Although she was acting fairly normal _now_, Ranma didn't really want to push his luck, so he was sitting a good few feet away from her. _I've never seen Akane so upset over such a little thing,_ Ranma thought, watching the girl speculatively. _How could a little nightmare reduce her to this state?_   
Akane, head down and hands in her lap, sat a little to the left of Ranma. "Hai," she replied, sounding almost embarrassed. "This is the third time I've had it, and each time it gets worse. And longer. And it almost seems to have more detail each time too."   
Although Akane sounded pretty normal, Ranma could still detect the little upset quaver in her voice. "I take it this isn't the normal kind of being-chased-by-a-monster type of dream?" he asked. And then, aware that he sounded almost sympathetic, he felt compelled to add, "Hey, after all, a macho girl like you wouldn't start sniveling over a couple of sharp fangs and maybe a pair of demonic wings or two."   
As good as beating up him seemed make her feel, Ranma thought Akane didn't really appear up to it tonight. Even when she'd malleted him before, it didn't feel like her whole heart was in it. _Ack, what am I thinking?_ Ranma thought to himself furiously. _Am I wishing she'd hit me? I must be sleep-muddled._ Ranma ducked, just in case she swung at him, but she didn't.   
Akane smiled faintly. "Shut up, Ranma," she said, before falling silent again. She could see Ranma staring at her for a good half a minute, before she broke the silence and said thoughtfully, "But you're right, you know; it wasn't the classic monster nightmare. It was horrible. It-- you-- well, it wasn't very nice." She was _not_ about to tell him that it was about him dying. Especially after she had woken up in tears. _They were just tears of pain, from getting injured by that . . . that.. Whatever-it-was, dummy!_ Akane thought to herself furiously, choosing to ignore the fact that she never really felt physical pain in dreams. _Why would I cry over _him_, anyway? He's just a dumb egomaniac, obsessed with how wonderful his martial arts skills are. _Then, unbidden, came the slow but persistent thought, _Martial arts skills that didn't save him from the anonymous enemy in my dream . . ._   
Ranma grimaced, almost in sympathy. "I hate nightmares. I have lots of nightmares about . . ." he swallowed. "About . . . the Nekoken. About cats." He was having trouble getting out the words. "Sometimes I'm having one of those dreams where you know it's a dream, and then I'll think I've woken up, and then a whole bunch of cats come streaming through the doorway and scratch me and . . . Well, you get the point. Those are worse than any sort of monster nightmare. And sometimes I have ones about y--" He blinks. "Well, the worst ones are about the cats, anyway."   
_Why is he telling me this?_ Akane wondered, missing Ranma's slip entirely. _Is he trying to cheer me up, or something?_   
"And then _sometimes,_" Ranma continued, because he thought he was being too nice for the moment, " I have these dreams about this stupid, uncute tomboy that my father is gonna force me to marry, and she hits me all the time, and does other stupid, macho things."   
"Rrrrrrranma!" *_Whaammmmmm*_ For the second time that night, Ranma got himself plastered to the floor of Akane's room.   
"Hehheh . . ." This time, at least, Ranma didn't black out. He hid a smile. "There you go. First time you hit me, you didn't hit me hard. Well, you did, but you hit me . . . half-heartedly." He smirked, in that infuriating manner of his. "Thought maybe your macho-ness had died off a bit, or somethin'."   
"You JERK!" *_Whaammmmmm*_   
"You are _so _uncute!"   
"JERK! Ranma, you JERK!"__   
"Hehheh . . ."   
  
  
  
As Kasumi rose in the morning, to begin the day's chores, she noticed something strange. When she looked into Ranma's room, he wasn't there. She'd awakened the previous night to the sound of shouting and crashing coming from Akane's room, and gathered that Ranma and Akane were having another of their "affectionate quarrels" as Kasumi preferred to call them. That was so much nicer-sounding than "Ranma insults Akane and Akane beats him up." However, since Ranma wasn't in his room where he usually was, sprawled out and fast asleep, she began to get worried. She went down the hallway and around the corner, stopped short, and then smiled to herself. Ranma was asleep, sitting up against Akane's door, looking almost as if he were guarding it. He had several bruises on his face, in distinctly mallet-like shapes, but he had a smirk on his face. Kasumi almost woke him up, because he looked quite uncomfortable in that position, but decided against it and continued about her morning routine, humming a cheerful tune under her breath.   
  
  
Later that morning, Ranma came down with his hands in his pockets and feeling stiff and irritable. He looked carefully and suspiciously at Kasumi as she bustled around the kitchen, making sure she hadn't seen him sleeping outside Akane's room; no, she didn't look smug or knowing at all. She hadn't seen him. He let out a breath of relief, a breath he didn't even know he was holding. _Good. At least she doesn't know about it._ To tell the truth, he was somewhat embarrassed. He still didn't know quite what he was doing there. He had a vague recollection of leaving Akane's room once she had gotten tired of beating him up, but he remembered catching a fleeting glimpse of a lost, alone, _scared_ expression on her face. So he must have decided instinctively to camp outside her door. _She was _still_ scared from her nightmare,_ Ranma thought to himself. _I guess I just felt obligated to make sure she didn't wake up the whole household by crying out loud again and tossing in her sleep._ Ranma snorted. _For all that she's an uncute tomboy, she still acts like a girl sometimes. She looked really scared. I hope she didn't have any more nightmares . . ._   
"Ranma?"   
Ranma blinked as his thought process was interrupted, and then saw who was talking to him. "Oh, Kasumi. Morning."   
Kasumi smiled. "You're up early this morning. The others usually don't wake up until later, and I especially think Akane will sleep for a while longer. She had a rough night."   
Ranma started at this last statement, but read no hint of malice or amusement in Kasumi's eyes. _Damn,_ thought Ranma. _She's either truly innocent and didn't see me-- or she's _really_ good._ Ranma laughed, a little nervously. "Yeah, I heard her tossing and stuff."   
Kasumi's brow wrinkled slightly in a worried frown. "I should have sent you to go check on her. I think something's been bothering her sleep lately. She's been tossing and turning a lot."   
Ranma took a deep breath, hoping that Kasumi wouldn't mention anything in front of Akane. Akane still believed Kasumi had sent Ranma in to check on her, and had no idea that Ranma had actually come of his own accord to find out what was wrong with the girl. "Heh, well, she's probably fine. Hey, what's for breakfast this morning?"   
If Kasumi noticed the blatant change of subject, she didn't show it. "I don't know yet. I'm going to head down to the market in a little bit to find something that looks good. And then I need to stop by Dr. Tofu's to give him the breakfast I made him." She covered her mouth with one hand, as if to hide a girlish giggle. "He's such a silly man!" And then Kasumi was gone, into the kitchen. A few moments later, he heard the front door close quietly and heard footsteps going out towards the street.   
Ranma rolled his eyes. One of these days, Kasumi was going to realize that Dr. Tofu loved her. One of these days . . .   
"Morning, Ranma."   
Again? Why was it always when he was trying to think? "Morning, Nabiki. You're up early."   
Nabiki smirked. "And you aren't? Anyway, I didn't sleep too well. Something woke me up in the middle of the night." She shrugged. "Anyway, bye." And she started out the door.   
"Where are you going?" Ranma asked suspiciously. When Nabiki left in the morning, you _knew_ there was something fishy going on.   
"Oh, places to go, people to see." Nabiki flashed him that smug smile again, and then she too was hurrying out of the door.   
"People to see? More like swindle," Ranma muttered under his breath. _Oh well, it's better than having her here where she could stir up some sort of mischief. Making money off people at least keeps her too busy to meddle all the time with me and Aka--_   
*THUMP*   
The noise startled Ranma out of his contemplations, and he hurried around the corner to see what had happened. Passing Akane's open door, he peered in by chance. Akane was lying face down on the floor, her legs tangled in her sheets.   
_What the . . ._ "Akane, what the hell're you doin'?" Ranma crossed his arms in front of his chest, looking down at the motionless girl.   
Akane lifted her head. Her eyes were frightened, almost shocked. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.   
Ranma blinked in surprise at the tomboy's expression. He'd expected embarrassment at falling out of bed, or possibly anger that he looked into her room, but not fear. He crouched down so he wasn't towering over her. "Another nightmare?" he asked quietly.   
Akane nodded, still silent. After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, Akane suddenly scrambled to her feet, catching her balance after tripping over the bed sheets, and ran out into the hallway before Ranma could react. He heard the sound of running water, then a splash, and gasp. Ranma reached the bathroom door to see Akane standing in a puddle of water and holding a bucket in one limp hand, soaked to the skin and shivering, but with an expression of profoundest relief on her face. "Thank God," she was muttering. "It didn't work . . ."   
Ranma was by this point quite baffled. "Okay. WHAT is going on??" He demanded, standing in the doorway.   
Akane turned to him with a shaky expression. "I had a nightmare that I'd somehow wandered off, and ended up at Jusenkyö. Somebody came along, the same somebody that killed-- well, this anonymous person has been in my dreams before. Anyway, this person came along and pushed me off a cliff, and I landed in . . . in . . ." Here she couldn't manage to get out the words. Finally after a few seconds of failed attempts, she blurted out, "I landed in the spring of drowned boy!"   
Ranma blinked, letting this information soak in. Then, after a few moments where he looked like he was going to be angry or sad or both, he burst out laughing. "And then you just _had_ to go dunk yourself in cold water to make sure you weren't really cursed, am I right?" And he started laughing again, even harder.   
Akane nodded, watching Ranma with a small amount of awe. He almost never laughed that much. He was actually kind of cute when he was doubled over with laughter . . . Akane quelled that thought before it had time to take root. _I think maybe these dreams are affecting me more than I thought. They're even making me see Ranma differently. The ones that showed him dead made me want to make sure he was really still here. And this new one made me look at his curse in an entirely new light. It may be funny to me, and to the others, but it's not a laughing matter to him . . . _"Um, Ranma? You okay?"   
Ranma held up a hand, to signal for her to wait until he could speak again. "Ohhh, that's just too rich, Akane!" he said between little burbles of laughter, as soon as he got control of himself again.   
Akane scowled. "Well, it was scary while I was living it! _You_ of all people should know what a nightmare it can be, and how disgusting it is!   
Rama's grin faded slightly, until it had an almost fake quality to it. "Yes. I _do_ know. Thanks oh-so-much for reminding me." And he turned and left the doorway.   
Akane blinked. _Whoops,_ she thought. _Guess that was hitting a little below the belt. Maybe I should let him cool down a little. But . . ._ Against her better judgement, she followed the young martial artist to the porch and sat down next to him. She couldn't think of anything to say, so she just sat there.   
After a while of gathering her dignity, she said, "Look, I didn't mean to--"   
At the same time, Ranma said, "I shouldn't have--"   
They turned to look at each other, neither saying anything, waiting for the other to go ahead. _Is he going to apologize? _Akane thought as she held her breath._ Ranma never_ _apologizes. And this time, he actually doesn't have anything to apologize about. _   
After several moments, Ranma thought to himself_, Jeeze, was she going to apologize? She never apologizes. Well, she doesn't appear about to do anything now._ Ranma stood up, saying, "Never mind, it's not important. I hope Kasumi gets back soon. She went to the market before you woke up to get something for breakfast."   
At that moment, something whizzed by on the street. Ranma and Akane glanced at each other, puzzled, and then at the street. They hurried over in time to see the retreating form of Dr. Tofu, running down the street with Betsy the skeleton on his back. Ranma groaned inwardly, and said, "Well, Kasumi should get back any minute now, if Dr. Tofu's run around to this side of town already."   
Akane smiled and nodded, glad to see Ranma acting normally again. "I hope so. My stomach's empty from all that tossing and turning. And if she _doesn't _get back soon, we'll be late for school as usual."   
  
  
When Kasumi did return, she apologized profusely for having taken so long. The baker at the market, a plump, jolly old man, loved to try to sell her more than she needed, and those fishmongers were back again, blocking the walkways so the whole market was backed up and congested . . . The explanations and excuses were uttered in such a remorseful, flustered tone that no one really thought to doubt her, though Ranma did have to restrain snide comments about her spending the time at Dr. Tofu's clinic. She hurriedly made up their lunches and cooked up leftovers for breakfast, and then Ranma and Akane were out the door.   
The walk to school was surprisingly uneventful for the first half. Then, feeling that the day wasn't really properly starting without being pounded a couple times, Ranma said, "Funny, Shampoo hasn't come yet today to try to give me some potion, or run you over, or somethin' like that."   
Akane looked up at the pig-tailed boy, eyes narrowing. "Do you _miss_ her, or something, Ranma?"   
Ranma swallowed. He never said anything right. "Noooo. It just doesn't feel right without her interrupting our walk to school some way or another."   
*SPLASH!*   
Akane sniffed and continued walking, leaving Ranma-chan sitting in the puddle of water that Akane had kicked her into. "What'd you do THAT for?" Ranma-chan demanded angrily. "If you just _had_ to kick me, couldn't you just kick me and settle for that? Now I'm going to have to find some hot water before school starts." She scowled at Akane, wishing for once that Akane would _understand_ that she didn't really mean to hurt her feelings.   
"Shut up, Ranma," Akane said through gritted teeth, speeding up slightly.   
Ranma scrambled to her feet, hurrying after Akane. "Hey, wait! I need to find some hot water before we get too close to school, or else--"   
"Pig-tailed girl! And Akane Tendo! My loves!"   
Ranma groaned. "Too late." Automatically, she reached up with a fist that caught Kuno in the jaw squarely as he leaned over to 'embrace his love'.   
"Such spirit! Such beauty, like the tigress on the hunt!" Again Kuno tried to grab Ranma, but this time Ranma kicked him, hard, sending him over the roofs of the next few houses. "Go away, Kuno, and leave me alone!" Now, not only was Ranma cold, wet, and hungry from no breakfast, _and _a girl, but she was also really, really annoyed. Some of that must of shown in her face, because even Akane backed up a pace.   
"Er, Ranma . . . How about we find that hot water now?" she asked, wincing when Ranma turned her fuming countenance upon her. But then Ranma relaxed, and nodded. "Yeah," she said. "Sounds good."   
  
  
When they finally reached the school, got yelled at by the home room teacher (who was teaching the class something about mythology, or some nonsense like that), and were sent out to hold buckets of water in the hallway, Ranma was _not_ in a good mood. They had looked through half of Nerima, but no one seemed inclined to heat up a kettle of water for a red-headed, loud-mouthed girl in guy's clothing, who wanted to dump it over her head. Eventually, a woman had leaned out of her third-floor window and dumped out a basin of dishwater, still warm, and it had inevitably landed on Ranma. So now Ranma smelled like last-night's leftovers, on top of everything else that had happened already. Ranma could feel himself starting to get angry at just about everything in general, but tightened his grip on the bucket and swallowed that anger. After all, this happened to him in some form or another every morning. He sighed, and glanced at Akane out of the corner of his eye. She looked ticked off about something, refusing to look at him, but that was usual, too. Ranma was just about to make a derogatory remark to Akane, when his brain caught up to what he could dimly hear the teacher saying, in the classroom.   
". . . which was laughed at, of course. But Miyake continued trying to persuade citizens of what had happened, and he eventually found a younger man, who's name was unkown, who was willing to believe him. In Miyake's diary, he mentions something about the young man wanting a cure for some sort of curse. However, this doesn't appear in the diary at all later, which is why it is generally believed that . . ."   
Ranma felt his heartbeat quicken. A cure for a curse? Could it possibly cure _his_ curse, whatever this was? He leaned closer to the door, in order to hear better.   
"Together, the pair set out for Hontou no Shiryoku no Yamá. Miyake's diary ends two days before they would have reached the summit of the mountain, and he was never heard from again. Miyake's partner returned, but seemed to have no memory of Miyake whatsoever. He did remember the mountain, dimly, and claimed that he had found what he sought, but no more. The myth of Hontou no Shiryoku no Yamá is that any man who goes there will face many difficult trials, but that if he passes them, he will be seen by others as he wants to be seen. That is, he can be seen as young, rich, and handsome, for example. When asked, the young man also refused to say anything about the so-called "curse" he supposedly had. Now, if you all turn to page two-hundred thirty-six in your textbooks, you'll find a picture . . ."   
Ranma's mind was meanwhile racing. Hontou no Shiryoku no Yamá . . . A mountain of true sight? If this Miyake's anonymous partner could beat whatever trials were on this mountain, he certainly could. It sounded as if the young man might have had a Jusenkyö curse as well, and that he was cured when he returned. It was all Ranma could do not to drop the buckets he was holding and race off to wherever this mountain was. If there was even the slightest chance that this place held a cure for his curse, he'd take it. Now, if he could just find a map to this place, he could slip out in the middle of the night and-- Ranma's thought process dwindled into a little trickle, as he felt a well-known Kari-ki building to his right.   
"I _SAID_, we're done holding buckets, Ranma! We're allowed back in. Honestly, can't you stop daydreaming for two seconds?" Akane stormed back into the home room, leaving Ranma blinking in her wake. Ranma set down the buckets and followed her, looking so distracted and preoccupied to the whole class, who wondered just what had happened to him in the hallway. The guys in the class starting to get a little steamed, while the girls elbowed each other in the sides and whispered behind their hands, giggling as they gave Akane envious side-long glances. But that happened every day too, so Ranma ignored them as he slid into his seat.   
  
  
"Dammit! Why do I always get lost when I'm trying to get back to Akane? Who knows what Ranma's doing to her poor, innocent heart right now!" *CRASH* Another poor, innocent tree's life was snuffed out as Ryoga's fist smashed it into firewood. Ryoga had somehow managed to get onto a ship that took him back to Japan from China, where he'd wandered, but couldn't for the life of him find a way back to Tokyo from here. He'd passed the same village three times now; at least this was a part of the forest he _hadn't _seen before.   
"Curse you, Saotome . . . I can't leave you alone with Akane, not for an instant!" Ryoga had a horrible vision of Ranma beating Akane . . . no, forcing her to . . . no, he was . . . oh, it was too horrible! Ryoga lashed out with his foot, knocking an unoffending branch off a nearby tree. "Who knows what he could be doing to her! Saotome, may you burn in hell for this!"   
  
  
Akane frowned. Ranma was awfully eager to get home today; usually, he was lazy and bored-sounding, but now he was all but dragging her down the sidewalk.   
"Come _on, _can't a tomboy like you walk any faster?"   
Akane's eyes narrowed, but she ignored the insult. "Why _are_ you in such a hurry anyway, hmm?"   
Ranma grinned at her, a sign that he was up to something. "Nothing. Ano . . . I'm just hungry. And I want to get some sparring in with pop before he gets too wrapped up in his afternoon shoji game."   
Akane glared at him for a few more moments, but quickened her pace despite the feeling nagging at her that Ranma was hiding something from her.   
When they reached the dojo, Ranma raced up the stairs, leaving a smoke-trail and a blinking Akane behind him. She heard the sound of him flopping down onto the floor, and then rummaging through something. Akane routinely called out, "Kasumi, we're home!" before she curiously followed Ranma up the stairs and poked her head into his room, to see him intently leafing through one of the class textbooks. She felt her face heating up and said angrily, "Did you _steal_ that from the school, Ranma?"   
Ranma jumped and looked around, with wide eyes. "Jeeze, Akane, don't do that to me!"   
Akane crossed her arms and tapped one foot against the wooden floor. "Well? Did you?"   
Ranma looked puzzled. "Did I what? I didn't do nothin', honest!"   
Akane narrowed her eyes. "For the last time, did you or didn't you steal that textbook from school?"   
Ranma looked down at the book in his lap as if he'd never seen it before. "What, this? No, of course not! I was just . . . ano . . . I was just borrowing it for a while! Heha . . . Ha . . . Ahem."   
Not amused in the slightest, Akane took a few menacing steps towards Ranma, into his room. "And tell me, Ranma, just _why_ did you 'borrow' the book?"   
"I, um, I . . . Hey, why do _you _get to tell me what to do? Why do I have to explain my every move to you? It's not like you're my wife, or anything!" Ranma paused. Maybe that wasn't the best choice of words. They _were_ fiances, after all . . .   
"Is that so?!" Akane shouted, eyes blazing and hair beginning to raise.   
"That is _sooo_ so!"   
"You're such a jerk, Ranma!"   
"And you're nothing but a macho jock chick, so nyaa!"   
"Shut up, pervert!"   
"You are SO uncute!"   
"I said, shut UP!"   
  
  
Downstairs, Genma-panda and Soun look up at the ceiling, where various thudding and crashing noises, mingled with muffled shouts and curses were coming in abundance. As one, they sighed. "Some day, Genma, some day . . ."   
Genma-panda nodded and held up a sign. [Yes. This fighting is all pretend, though. I'm glad to hear them fight, sometimes.] While Soun was reading the sign, Genma-panda's free paw was busy flipping over the shoji pieces. That was the good thing about not being able to speak-- while your opponent was busy reading your sign-language, you could move all the pieces you wanted.   
  
  
Late that night, or possibly early the next morning, a young calico cat was sitting at the base of the fence surrounding the Tendo Dojo. Though the cat didn't really care, she impassively noticed a dark, silent figure slipping out of the door of the Tendo's house, carrying a pack. The figure darted up to the roof, using the fence as a step and paused there, glancing around itself to make sure no one was watching it. A slow smile spread over its face. "Feh," it could be heard to whisper. "No one would be awake now, anyway. Dunno why I'm so worried someone'll see me." On a whim, the form glanced in at one of the windows. For a moment, the expression on the figure's shadowy face was soft, but then it sniffed and whispered fiercely, "She's _so_ uncute!" And then, in a blur of movement and a flash of red, the figure had leaped off the roof to the neighbor's roof, and disappeared along the roofs of Nerima. It was carrying a mythology textbook under its arm.   
The cat lazily blinked her gleaming green eyes once and then went back to cleaning her forepaw.   
  
  
  


* * *

_The Eye of the Beholder_, by Tori-chan: email me at saezuru@hotmail.com 


	2. 

* * *

DISCLAIMER: All characters except for Nayami, who is introduced in later chapters, do not belong to me. *ponders Ryoga's fangs wistfully* Unfortunately. C&C always welcome, feel free to email me at saezuru@hotmail.com if you've got any comments. Thanks for reading!

* * *

  
  
  


The Eye of the Beholder   
Chapter 2 

  
  
  
  
  
"_Nani_?! He's _gone_? That jackass! Where'd he go? When did he leave? Why didn't he take me with him?" Ukyo was livid. Akane didn't really like the way she was fingering that spatula strapped to her back, so Akane began to edge back towards the door.   
"Well . . . I just came to ask if you knew where he was, and you don't, so I'll go." She turned to leave, but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. She turned, to see Ukyo's narrowed eyes inches away from hers. She gulped. "Look, I told you, I dunno where he went. The note he left just said he was going on a training trip. The only reason I wanted to know where he'd gone was because he was acting kind of funny the day before."   
Ukyo forced herself to relax her grip on Akane's shoulder, and swallowed audibly. "Sorry, Akane," she said, breathing out slowly. "Ranchan's just always pulling things like this. I get kind of worked up." She smiled cheerfully, though it looked kind of forced. "What a jackass he is, hmm?"   
Akane blinked, and then smiled tentatively back. "Well, yeah. But anyway, I'm going to go to the Nekohanten now, to see if Shampoo had anything to do with this. Ranma mentioned something about her on the way to school yesterday."   
Ukyo tensed up again in a flash. "The Chinese bimbo? I certainly hope she didn't feed him one of her concoctions again." Ukyo shuddered. "She scares me sometimes, y'know."   
Akane nodded vehemently. "Me too. And you'd _think_ that after all this time in Japan that she'd learn to talk, right?"   
Ukyo nodded as well, dropping her hand from Akane's shoulder. "Definitely. I think she does it 'cause guys supposedly go head over heels for a girl with an accent." Ukyo snorted. "I haven't noticed any head over heels guys wandering around. Well, there _is_ Mousse, but . . . well, anyway, can I come with you to the Nekohanten? Maybe I'll see something there that you might miss, a clue or something to where Ranchan went."   
Akane's fists began to clench. "Are you saying I'm stupid, or unobservant, or something?"   
Ukyo blinked and raised her hands defensively, to try and calm Akane down. "No, no, of course not! It's just, uh, that two heads are better than one! Especially dealing with Shampoo. Right?"   
Akane took a deep breath, exhaling slowly. "Sorry, Ukyo. I'm just used to Ranma. You're right, it'll be better if both of us go. And if Shampoo has something to do with him running off . . ." She pressed her fist into the palm of the other hand grimly. _He's gonna get it if he listened to that bimbo!_   
Ukyo nodded, a malicious smile tracing her lips. "Exactly." _That Chinese bimbo's gonna get it if she made Ranchan leave!_   
  
  
"Curse you, Saotome! WHERE THE HELL AM I _NOW?!_" Ryoga was lost. It wasn't unusual. He just went on being lost, as the rest of the world went on with their lives.   
  
  
"Nani?! Ranma gone? Where he go? Why he not take Shampoo?"   
As one, Ukyo and Akane groaned. "We don't _know_, Shampoo," Ukyo said testily. "Why else would we be asking _you_?"   
Shampoo whirled around, ending with a bonbori wavering a fraction of an inch in front of Ukyo's nose. "Tell where Ranma go, or dumb spatula girl die!"   
"I told you, I don't know. We were sure _you_ had something to do with it, you purple-haired Chinese bimbo!" Ukyo was not impressed by the display of bonbori skills. She'd had a bonbori wavering within a fraction of an inch in front of her face a lot when squabbling over Ranma with Shampoo.   
"Shampoo not make Ranma go anywhere! Ranma Shampoo husband. If he go anywhere, he go Amazon village!"   
Akane scowled. "You've done things to him before! What if you're blackmailing him again? Or made him eat something that makes him your puppet, like you've done in the past? You're infamous in THAT area, you know."   
Ukyo nodded emphatically. "So why shouldn't we suspect you this time?"   
"Because . . . Because Shampoo no want Ranma to go _anywhere_ without Shampoo!" Shampoo shouted earnestly, shaking a bonbori first at Ukyo, and then at Akane.   
Akane drew Ukyo aside to regroup and decide what to do. "She's right, you know." Akane whispered. "She'd never make him go anywhere without taking her along. We should have thought of that sooner."   
Ukyo sighed, looking glum. "And I'd been so _sure_ that she'd done something to him! It's always her fault!"   
Akane gave Ukyo a comradely pat on the shoulder. "I was pretty sure myself, so don't worry about it. He'll be back; he always comes back, doesn't he?"   
Ukyo nodded, gnawing on a fingernail worriedly. "Yeah, I know. But I've just got a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. I had it when I woke up this morning, even before you told me about his disappearance. That's why I overreacted when you told me."   
Akane grinned, shrugging her shoulders. "Don't be silly, Ukyo! He's done this before, and he's always come back safe and unharmed, just as obsessively egotistical as always." But inside, under the cheerful smile, the same feeling Ukyo had complained of was nagging at Akane, causing her to fret and worry. _Baka! _she told herself. _You have no reason to worry over _him!_ He'd never worry about you, so why are you gonna worry about him?_   
"Ahem!" Ukyo and Akane turned around, shooting Shampoo a pair of almost identically menacing looks. Shampoo ignored them and said firmly, "Shampoo want find Ranma, not sit here whispering like goose!"   
"I find that offensive, thank you." Mousse stood in the doorway, hands folded into his sleeves and glasses on the top of his head, unused. "What's this about wanting to find Ranma?"   
Shampoo whirled. "Stupid Mousse! Mousse not stick beak into women business!"   
"If it involves Saotome, it's _my_ business. Let us track down that imbecile together, my beloved!" Glasses perched on his head and his eyes adoring, he spoke to the doorframe with a loving note in his voice. Shampoo stood to one side, tapping her foot in annoyance.   
"Stupid Mousse," she muttered, and turned back on him to face Ukyo and Akane again. "We three find Ranma, is okay?"   
Ukyo and Akane exchanged glances, sighed, and nodded. Akane tried to put on a smile, though the idea of going anywhere for a long period of time with Shampoo was distasteful. "Sure, sure, is okay."   
  
  
"If we can just get to a secluded spot before she does something to us, then we can . . . I don't know . . . put something in her food to make her sleep and then sneak away. Right?" Akane looked hopeful.   
"Right!" Ukyo grinned. "Then it'll just be us two gals." Her eyes narrowed. "I should tell you, however; although we are in a truce of sorts right now, when we find Ranma it'll be an all-out battle for his attention. _I _want to be the one to find him!"   
Akane snorted. "Yeah, as if I care? But you're right, this is only a temporary affair. Our first order of business is getting rid of Shampoo. I think we should let her come along with no hindrances for a while; you know, let her get her guard down."   
Ukyo nodded eagerly. "Yeah!" She smiled at Akane, a friendly smile that didn't say anything about what she was really thinking. _Just you wait, Akane. I'll be the one to catch up to Ranma and help him on whatever training trip he's on, and I won't let anyone get in my way. Not even _you_._   
Akane grinned back, and headed for the door of Ucchan's, where they had been discussing their plans out of Shampoo's earshot. "Meet you here tomorrow morning to try and figure out where he went, like we planned, okay?" _Ukyo's being really nice. Of course, she was never as cold-seeming as Shampoo, but something isn't ringing true about all this. I hope she's not planning to stash me away, too . . ._   
When Ukyo nodded her agreement, Akane slipped out through the door, shutting it carefully behind her. Once outside, she began to slowly walk back towards the dojo, watching people and cars go by on the street. Several times, she turned to instinctively glare at the air next to her, and then turned a little pink and hoped people didn't notice. It was so natural to turn to glare at Ranma when he was walking next to her all the time that she did it without thinking now. Akane scowled darkly, and began to mutter under her breath. "Honestly, you'd think he'd leave me alone once he left. But . . . but he's ruined my life enough that I can't _not_ think about him. Why can't he just go away forever? I wish he would. I hope he doesn't come back this time. I hopehe just finds some other town to pester, and then all his dumb fiances and all the people trying to kill him would follow him, and life would go back to normal. I _hate_ him! I HATE him!"   
_*crunch*_   
The people walking down the street beside her stopped to stare curiously and slightly apprehensively at the girl who had just shouted something nearly unintelligible and punched a hole through the wooden fence. Then they decided that staying near such an angry-looking person was probably not a good idea, and hurried on their separate ways.   
Akane blinked at the hole in the fence, and then glanced around her at the people who were trying to avert their eyes; the people of Nerima knew better than to pay attentionto people punching holes in things. They'd had experience.She sighed, and forced herself to relax. It was no use getting mad at someone who wasn't around to get malleted, she reasoned as she continued her trip home_. _Why waste thought on him? But despite her excellent logic, she found herself wondering what kind of trouble Ranma would get himself into this time.   
  
  
"Kasumi, we're home!" Akane paused, realized what she'd said, and corrected herself. "Er, I'm home, I mean. Ranma's still missing. Well, he's still _gone_; not really missing. He knows where he is, right? Hopefully, anyway. He's not like Ryoga; he can follow a map. Can't he? I've never seen him read a map, but he is able to find his way around just fine, even if he is too dumb to ever ask directions. Maybe he's too egotistical to rely on a map. Maybe he _is_ lost." Akane snickered at that thought, completely aware that she was babbling and just as completely unable to stop.   
She was saved by Kasumi, who came into the foyer wearing her usual maternal smile. "Where did you go?" she asked, choosing to diplomatically ignore Akane's chatter.   
Akane took a deep breath, and let it out. "Nowhere much. I went and talked to Ukyo, and then Shampoo, to see if they knew anything about where Ranma went."   
"And did they?"   
"Nope. Neither one of them. And they both looked about to kill me, for some reason."   
"Oh my . . . they must have thought you had something to do with Ranma's disappearance," Kasumi pointed out, drifting back into the kitchen, where she was washing and drying dishes.   
"Why would I come to them if I had, hmm? And why would I want to get rid of him?" Akane trailed after her older sister, scowling.   
Kasumi glanced back at the younger girl and smiled softly. "You're always talking about how you wished he had never come in the first place, and how you wish he'd just go away and leave us all alone, aren't you? And you always talk about how you couldn't care less about 'that jerk', and how Shampoo and Ukyo can divvy him up between them however they like. If that's not a reason to suspect you, then I don't know what is." Kasumi's cheerful smile widened. "Though perhaps they knew you never really meant it."   
Akane was turning an interesting shade of red, a shade which continued to darken all throughout Kasumi's little speech. "But . . . but I . . ." she spluttered. "Look, I wish he _would_ leave, but I wouldn't do something to make him go. I'm not _that_ cold-hearted."   
Kasumi had turned back to the dishes. "I know you're not, Akane. It was just a suggestion as to why they might be angry."   
Akane sighed, turned around, and left the kitchen, calling out, "Call me down when dinner's ready. I'm going to go do my homework."   
"Alright, Akane. Dinner'll be ready in just a little while."   
  
  
When she reached her room, Akane flopped down onto her bed and crossed her arms behind her head, staring up at the ceiling. "Dummy," she said belligerently to the air. "Why'd you have to go and disappear without telling anyone? Now I've got to deal with Ukyo _and_ Shampoo, both suspicious that I made you leave, somehow." She sat up. "I wish I had made you leave. Then I could be sure where you are right now, and that you wouldn't be coming back. At least not for a while." She swung her legs over the side of the bed, stood up, and crossed to her desk, picking up a picture frame on it. In it was a picture of her mother holding the bundle of cloth and pink skin that was Akane at the time, one arm around an impishly grinning Kasumi, with Nabiki holding onto her skirt and sticking her tongue out at the camera. She smiled faintly at the picture, but that wasn't what she had picked it up for. She turned it around and undid the little clasps at the back and slide the black, felt-covered backing from the frame.   
Out fell several smaller pieces of paper, as well as a few more solid items: a ticket stub from a movie her friends had taken her to for her birthday; the button from her yellow sun dress that she'd never gotten around to sewing back on; a tiny lock of her mother's hair, tied with a small piece of blue ribbon; a picture-- ah, there it was. It was a picture of Ranma that Nabiki had taken, and Akane had later yelled at her about. She'd found the picture lying on the edge of Nabiki's desk in her room, and confiscated it before her sister would be able to sell it to someone like Kodachi. The picture showed Ranma asleep, sprawled out as usual, but his mouth wasn't open so he must not have been snoring. Instead, he was smiling, looking very peaceful and almost childlike. Akane carefully placed everything else back inside the picture frame, sliding the backing shut again. She examined the photo for a few moments before she glared at it and stalked back to her bed, dropping it into the trash can as she went. She sat down at her desk to do her homework, and began to hum.   
  
  
Business was slow today. For some reason, not too many people were eating out. It was the busiest time of night, and yet there were only two or three customers sitting at the bar. Ukyo sighed, and would have leaned her head on her hands if she weren't flipping an okonomiyaki at the moment. _Ranchan, you jackass. Now I have to deal with Shampoo and Akane. I don't dislike Akane . . . I don't want to just stash her away sometime on the trip in order to get to you first. And that's assuming we can even figure out where you've gone. _   
Ukyo slid the okonomiyaki into a carry-out and set it down in front of the last customer, who laid the coins on the counter in exchange. "Thank you, have a nice day, and please come again!" she said brightly, grimacing inwardly at the cheery smile she put on. The other customers, who were eating in, finished up, paid, and left. Soon Ukyo was the only one left in the restaurant. She decided to close early, and clean up the place before she turned in for the nice. She went outside into the dusk, carrying her broom and dustpan.   
As she bent over and began to sweep up the various bits of paper and wrappers left on the sidewalk, Ukyo became aware of a presence walking up to her. She straightened up, wisps of hair falling out of her ribbon. She saw the outline of a man, taller than her, wearing something on his back.   
"Excuse me, miss. Could you tell me where I am?"   
Ukyo frowned, peering through the bad lighting. The guy looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn't place where she had seen him before. "Near the city hall. It's just down that way. There you can find maps and stuff of the city, if you want."   
The man seemed slightly embarrassed, even through the gloom. "Actually . . . I meant what city this was. Country would help, too. I'm never quite sure of that sometimes."   
Ukyo snapped her fingers, beaming at her sudden insight. "Hey, I _do_ know you from somewhere-- it's the Shi-Shi-guy with the speaking disorder." She grinned warmly at him. "Hey, Ryoga."   
He took a step backwards. "That's not me! I do _not_ have a speaking disorder!"   
Ukyo's grin widened. "No, of course you don't. It was the whole 'please tell me where I am' thing that gave you away, you know. No guy would have the guts to ask directions if he wasn't truly clueless, and used to being so."   
"Er, thanks, I think?"   
"I take it you meant to end up in Nerima, right? I haven't shut down the whole restaurant for the night yet, if you want to come in for some okonomiyaki before you wander off again."   
"Is Saotome around somewhere?" Ryoga seemed to get angry just saying the guy's name.   
Ukyo's temporary cheer deflated a little bit. "No, sorry. He's wandered off somewhere without telling anyone where he went. Said something in a note about a training trip."   
Ryoga clenched his fist. "He'd better train. He'll need it when I catch up to him!"   
Ukyo raised an eyebrow, leaning against the broom handle. "Should I even ask what he's done this time?"   
Ryoga looked up at the sky for a moment before answering. "He-- well, I don't think a lady's ears should have to hear what his crimes are." He suddenly must have realized that he really was speaking to 'a lady' and turned a slight shade of pink, his ears burning.   
Ukyo folded her arms across her chest. "Yeah, well, whatever. Do you want some food or not? If not, I need to finish closing up the restaurant."   
Ryoga rubbed one hand on the back of his head. "Uh, well, sure." He glanced upwards again, nervously this time. "I hope it doesn't rain. Those clouds look kind of ominous."   
Ukyo shrugged as she went back through the door. "Well, it doesn't matter anyway. A little rain never hurt anyone."   
  
  
After dinner, Akane finished her homework and then went into the dojo to train. She was kicking the gi-clad sparring doll across the room when a clap of thunder shook the house, startling her out of the limited concentration she had achieved. Looking out the window, she saw another flash of lightning before the raindrops suddenly came pouring down, tracing down the windows in little rivulets. Akane had just briefly attempted to concentrate again when the thunder began to get more frequent, and it just wasn't worth it anymore. So, she headed upstairs to bathe. When she finished her bath, a nice, long, hot one with no rude interruptions, she picked up the remote control and flicked on the T.V. After a long period of surfing through the channels and finding absolutely nothing on, and Akane ran out of things to do and decided just to go to sleep.   
After saying goodnight to the various people in the household, she changed into her yellow pajamas and slid between the covers. She stared at the wall for a while, for what felt like an eternity, and then gave up on that. She rolled over. She stared at her desk for a while, for what felt like an eternity. Finally, she sat up quickly, giving herself a headache from the blood rushing out of her head. She sat up in bed for a good few minutes, watching the far wall with a blank expression on her face. Then, as quietly as she could, she got out of bed and stumbled over to the waste basket. She peered into it, reached in a hand, and pulled out a small, slightly worn piece of paper. She looked at it for a few seconds, glared, and muttered, "_Jerk_," under her breath, before tiptoeing over to her desk, sliding out the backing to a picture frame, and slipping the photograph inside.   
Once she got back to bed, she rolled over once and fell fast asleep.   
  
  
Ryoga stared at the window with a growing sense of horror. It must have been mirrored in his expression, because Ukyo gave him a funny look. "Hey, Shi-Shi guy. For the last time, do you want this okonomiyaki or not?"   
Ryoga was startled out of his growing sense of impending doom, and blinked owlishly at her. "Huh?" he said, sounding very intelligent indeed.   
Ukyo's eyes narrowed as she leaned forward over the counter. "Look, I'm being nice by making you some damn dinner. Now do you want it or not?" She waved a hand at the plate in front of Ryoga, on which was a steaming hot okonomiyaki.   
"Uh, y-yes'm," Ryoga stammered, glancing nervously at Ukyo. A small part of him was screaming at him to notice that there was a very . . . uh, _womanish _girl just inches from his face, and that she was leaning towards him. The rest of him however, snickered at that thought. _Oh, get off it, Ryoga. It's _Ukyo_. She's just like one of the guys. And anyway, she's in love with Ranma._ That tiny part of him spoke up once more: _Yes, but so is Akane, right? _Ryoga's sensible half argued right back. _B-but . . . but that's Akane! And this is Ukyo! There's a difference._ The little smidgen of thought sneered back. _Yeah? What difference?_   
Ryoga was again startled out of his contemplations and soul-searching by an overpowering sense of anger coming from somewhere in front of him. He focused his eyes to see Ukyo, eyes closed and fists balled at her side, whispering something methodically under her breath. "Er . . . what's that?" Ryoga asked, cautiously.   
"I am counting to ten, jackass. If you don't get out of my restaurant _right_ now, I am going to hit something, preferably the bandana-wearing little boy sitting in front of me."   
Ryoga slid off his chair and backed up a nervous step. "Uh . . . uh, Ukyo? G-gomen . . . I'll eat the okonomiyaki. I've just had a long day and I'm not focusing to well . . ."   
"Focusing? _Focusing?_ You need to _focus_ to eat a dinner that was charitably made for you? You . . . you . . . you JACKASS!" _*Whaaaaaannnng*_   
Ryoga, spatula plastered against his face, hadn't moved an inch. Ukyo blinked in surprise to see him still standing; she'd whacked him pretty hard. Hey, maybe he was _really_ slow, and hadn't realized he'd been hit yet. Ukyo, just moving her arm, tried whacking him again. Still no response. "Hello?" She tried bonging him on the top of his head. "Hello hello?" _*whaang*_ "Helloooo?" _*whaaaang whaaang whonnng*_   
Ryoga stood up without saying anything, turned on his heel and started for the door.   
"Wait!" Ukyo replaced her spatula on her back and gave Ryoga a quizzical look as he paused obediently. "What, did you not even feel that or something? You can drop the tough-guy act; Ranma acts like a baby when I hit him, and I don't think of _him_ as any less of a man."   
Ryoga closed his eyes, a smirk tracing his lips. "Hey, what happened to 'get out of my restaurant, or else'?"   
Ukyo's jaw wobbled downwards a little. "You're _talking_? I could have sworn I'd hit you in the face a bunch of times. Didn't I?"   
Ryoga nodded, grinning. "Yeah. We Hibikis have a sort of natural strength. It takes a lot to phase us."   
"It's genetic?" Ukyo snorted. "You gotta be kidding me." Unstrapping her spatula, she struck Ryoga Hibiki as hard as she could, the impact causing her to fly into the air a tad and her hands to throb from the vibration of the spatula. "There . . . that's got to . . . have phased him . . . a little . . ." she panted, leaning on the handle of her combat spatula.   
Ryoga laughed. "Oh, come on. Give it up already. Anyway, the okonomiyaki's getting cold. Can't I eat it now?"   
Ukyo stared at the young man for a moment before she shook her head, shrugged her shoulders, and walked back behind the counter to turn off the stove. "Yeah, whatever. Be my guest."   
Ryoga sat back down at his stool, gratefully slicing a piece of the okonomiyaki and popping it into his mouth. "Ohhh, this is good." He cut another piece. "You're a really good cook, you know that?"   
Ukyo nodded, leaning on her elbows to watch him eat. "Yeah, I know that. Thanks."   
Ryoga paused in mid-slice. "Oh, wait. What about payment? I don't have money with me. I don't take it with me when I travel-- I'd probably lose it, or leave it somewhere. How am I supposed to pay you for all this?"   
For a while, there was no sound but that of the rain pounding against the windows. Then Ukyo said cheerfully, "Oh, don't worry about it. We'll find a way for you to pay me back."   
  
  
Ryoga stood by the doorway, looking uncomfortable. "Uh . . . well, thanks for the okonomiyaki!" he called, in the direction of the stairway. Ukyo had gone upstairs to 'check on something,' she said.   
"Yeah, yeah, you're welcome and all that," came Ukyo's faint and distracted call.   
Ryoga peered curiously back up the stairs, shrugged, and opened the door. He slid the red umbrella off his back and opened it, starting to step outside. "Oooh, Ryoga, wait!" Ukyo nearly slid downstairs. "C'mere for a second."   
Ryoga looked at her suspiciously, but Ukyo was wearing the most innocent expression she ever had been in her life. " . . . Okay. Why, what is it?"   
Ukyo grinned as she turned to go back up the stairs. "Oh, I've just figured out a way for you to pay me back for the okonomiyaki."   
Ryoga started to follow, when what Ukyo had said sank into his mind. She was taking him upstairs. To repay her for the okonomiyaki. Upstairs, where she lived. As in, her room. Ryoga began to sweat.   
Ukyo led him into a room, with a bed in one corner, a window facing the door, and a desk and dresser on either sides of the room. Ryoga decided that yes, this is what Ukyo's room should look like. "Here we are," Ukyo said cheerfully. "Now, about that repayment . . . ?"   
Ryoga's ears turned a little pink in embarrassment. "I . . . er . . . I th-th-think y-you sh-should . . . um . . . I m-mean, wh-why w-would . . . uh . . ."   
Ukyo snickered softly. "Hey, you _do_ have a speaking disorder! Akane was right."   
Ryoga was dismayed. "Akane thinks I have a speaking disorder?" And Ryoga's world started to crash down around his ears.   
"No, you jackass, that was my conclusion. She just said that you're awfully quiet around her, and when you do talk, you stammer as if you're the shyest guy in the world. Anyway, I would like to get this payment over with sometime this century, you know."   
"Uh, y-yeah." Ryoga struggled inwardly, a battle against his morality. Finally he jumped to his feet, placed a hand on Ukyo's shoulder, and bowed his head towards the floor. "Look, I know it's hard for you being without Ranma, but I won't replace him! I'll find some other way to pay you back, next time I come here. Believe me, you'll be glad that I stopped you, later. You'd regret it for a long time if I hadn't."   
Ukyo was peering at Ryoga with a puzzled expression on her face. Then, a look of realization spread across her features, and she backed away from the boy, looking rather horrified. "_What?!_ You jackass, what were you thinking? Get your mind out of the gutter and your strong-as-steel butt up on the roof. I need you to fix a leak in my ceiling." And she pointed an imperious finger at the trash can carefully placed off to one side of the room, where it was quietly collecting the slow drips from a damp place up above.   
Ryoga blinked once, straightened, and had the decency to look embarrassed. "Oh. Well, that's okay then." Suddenly, the dim light in the room was amplified for a brief moment as a lightning flash illuminated the place, followed shortly by a loud clap of thunder. The blood suddenly drained from Ryoga's previously flushed face. "Uh, on second though, why don't I fix that roof tomorrow? When it's not raining?"   
Ukyo rolled her eyes, pulling her spatula off her back and swinging it in an arc towards Ryoga, who didn't move as usual. "Idiot! That defeats the purpose; the purpose being to stop the leak before it floods my room." She grinned cheerfully. "Hey, this is great. I can hit you as much as I want and you don't go unconscious!"   
Ryoga was not amused. He crossed his arms stubbornly, ignoring the stinging blow of the spatula. "Look, I just don't want to go traipsing about in the rain."   
Ukyo raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And who got out all her okonomiyaki stuff after she'd put it away for the night to make a some guy she hasn't seen in months some dinner, hmm?"   
Ryoga glared at Ukyo -- and Ukyo glared right back.   
  
  
Ranma looked around, and then back at the folded piece of paper pressed between the pages of his textbook. He couldn't believe it; was he lost? He'd been wandering around in the same forest for what seemed like days. Ranma chuckled softly, at the irony. Now he was the one, not Ryoga, lost and alone in the woods. He didn't see the clearing as light at first; it was more of a darkness that was less dark than the surrounding woods. He made his way towards it, hopefully. Maybe there was something there that would tell him the way to the damned mountain.   
When he got there, he sighed in disappointment. Nothing; just grass, dirt, and bushes. And those weren't very helpful. By chance, he looked up towards the canopy. And grinned. Looming up ahead, shrouded in mist, was a smallish mountain. _Ah . . . Hontou no Shiryoku no Yama_. _It's about time!_   
  
  
Ryoga muttered sourly under his breath as he sorted through the various tools Ukyo had shoved at him. It was obvious she never did anything with them; half of them were creaky with age. Ryoga examined a tray of nails and tried to cheer himself up. It wasn't so bad, after all. He did have his umbrella, and if he could manage the miracle of holding it and repairing a roof at the same time, he should be safe. He sighed, recounting the latest moments of the evening. It had been easy to withstand her when she was pissed off at him. He was used to that. But she'd then switched gears entirely on him; her eyes began to wobble ominously, and she covered her mouth with her hands.   
_"Please, Shi-shi-guy?" she'd said, looking at him from across the okonomiyaki counter. "I don't want to sleep in a soggy room tonight; all I want is a dry bed." Her expression was pleading, wistful._   
_Ryoga had backed up a step, glancing at her out of the corner of his eyes. No . . . no, must resist . . . the eyes . . . "Oh, alright. I'll do it."_   
_"Yatta! Thanks, Ryo-chan!"_   
_Ryoga had raised one eyebrow. "Ryo-chan?"_   
_"Sure." Ukyo grinned. "All my friends get nicknames." She paused, and her grin broadened. After all, I can't go on calling you Shi-shi guy if you fix my roof, now can I?"_   
_Ryoga found that the cook's smile was contagious, and had grinned back at her. "Oh, okay."_   
Ryoga sighed. Would he ever be able to withstand a girl's teary eyes? He felt like punching something. This was a fatal weakness indeed; what if someone used it to his disadvantage in the future? Of course, being sent out in the rain in the middle of the night to fix a roof was a disadvantage, but it wasn't too serious. Ryoga picked out the tools he would need, found the box of extra shingles, and headed out the door with the supplies in one hand and his umbrella in the other. _Kami-sama . . . if you ever loved me, please let this work! I can't turn into P-chan now; where would I get hot water?_   
  
  
Laying on her back on her bed, Ukyo heard a vague thudding noise from above her and smiled faintly. That'd be Ryoga, fixing the roof. _Such a nice boy,_ Ukyo thought. He had sure overreacted when she mentioned Akane earlier; didn't he have a thing for the macho jock chick? Ukyo stared at the ceiling, mulling the thought over in her mind. Hmm . . . that could be useful, in the future. Maybe he would work with her to break up Ranma and Akane, so he could have Akane and Ukyo could have Ranma. Ukyo decided the ceiling was boring and rolled over on her side in order to stare at the wall for a bit. She stayed that way for a while and then got up and crossed to the window. She hadn't gotten ready for bed yet, so she was still wearing all her clothes. She looked upwards as much as she could, but couldn't see the roof. Ukyo frowned, vaguely aware that she hadn't been entirely fair, sending the guy up in the rain like that, but she really didn't want a soggy room, and he _did_ owe her for the okonomiyaki.   
She stared out the window, thinking wishful thoughts about Ranma, and looking altogether miserable to any onlookers. After a few minutes, she saw something fly downwards past the window, a flash of red. She craned her neck to look at the ground. That guy hadn't fallen off, had he? No-- that was just his umbrella. He must have dropped it. Ukyo sighed, and decided that she'd been stubborn enough for one night, and went down the stairs to fetch the umbrella.   
She ran around the side of the restaurant, and picked up the umbrella. Or tried to, anyway. "Aiee! This thing weighs a _ton!_ And Ryo-chan swings this thing around as if it weighed no more than a feather?" Ukyo settled for half carrying, half dragging the leaden thing back across the side walk. She looked at the ladder that Ryoga had used to climb up, then at the umbrella, and then back at the ladder. There was absolutely no way she'd be able to get the wretched thing up the ladder. She sighed, took a deep breath, and shouted, "Ryoo-chaaan! I've got your umbrella! I can't bring it up the ladder-- come down and get it, okay?"   
Ukyo waited a few moments, but got no reply. Puzzled, she abandoned the umbrella and climbed the ladder. When she reached the roof, she looked around, but saw no sign of the Hibiki boy. She scowled. "Oh, sure. So he eats my food, takes my shelter, tramps around my house, and then skips out on the bill. I _hate_ it when people do that!" She clenched her fists, and might have hit something then in anger, when she noticed that neatly nailed shingles in place where the old, leaky ones had been. "Ohh . . . so he _did_ fix the roof! But why'd he leave so suddenly, without so much as a good-bye? And without his umbrella, too."   
Ukyo climbed back down the ladder, and dragged the umbrella back to the doorstep of the restaurant. Panting from the exertion, she propped it up against the doorframe. "No one's gonna steal something _that_ heavy, so I'll just leave it out for him to pick up later." She turned around, shaking out her wrists, cramped from dragging the heavy umbrella, and stopped short in surprise.   
"P-chan? What are you doing here?" The little black pig sat forlornly on the doorstep, shivering and wet, with his yellow bandana askew. _Yellow bandana . . . looks familiar, for some reason. Poor thing, he's soaked and freezing cold, too. _"Akane must be worried sick about you, you poor thing. Here, come inside and warm up. We can give you a bath, and a nice hot meal, and have you feeling better in no time."   
The piglet's eyes filled up with tears, especially at the mention of the word 'bath,' and he looked for a moment as if he were going to follow Ukyo into the restaurant. Then, at the last minute, he ran off down the street, _bwee_ing loudly. Ukyo's eyebrows furrowed. "What a strange pet," she murmured, and went back into the restaurant. Some time later, when all the passers-by had long dispersed and the rain became just another background noise, like the ever-present chirping of crickets, the light in the top floor of _Ucchan's_ flickered out.   
  
  
_Tap. Tap tap. Tap TAP._   
Akane's eyes slid open, as she was pulled from the depths of her somewhat disturbing dream (it involved Shampoo and staple-guns. *shudder*) by the noise coming from downstairs. After realizing that she was no longer held at staple-gun-point by the purple-haired girl, she became instantly alert. _What's that noise? A burglar?_ Akane wondered, as she silently slipped out of bed and picked up a baseball bat. She quietly opened the door to her room and stepped into the hallway, pausing to listen for the noise to begin again. Ah, there it was. Definitely coming from downstairs. She came down the stairs slowly, skipping the third step from the bottom since it had been known to squeak loudly at some times. Again she stopped to listen, and decided that it was coming from the front door. Akane tightened the grip on the bat, took a deep breath, and quickly threw open the door. She brandished the bat, trying to look as threatening as possible, brandished it at . . . nothing? There was no one outside. Akane blinked, lowering the bat slightly. She'd been so sure that the noise, whatever it was, had been coming from the door. She sighed and started to shut the door again, when a faint sneeze attracted her attention.   
"P-chan! Where have you _been_? Oh, you poor baby, you're all wet! Come inside and let me dry you off and warm you right up!"   
P-chan sniffled pitifully and allowed himself to be scooped up into Akane's arms and carried up the stairs. Akane brought out a thick, white towel and quickly dried off the little piglet, chattering aimlessly to him all the while. The black pig just sat there dreamily taking in Akane's affections, hardly even noticing it when she dropped off into a restless sleep. When he did notice it, however, he nudged the light switch near her bed with his nose, turning off the light, and snuggled down on Akane's pillow.   
Just before he fell asleep himself, he heard Akane whisper sleepily, "Jerk. Why'd he have to leave like that, anyway?"   
P-chan very carefully jumped off the bed and went into the bath house; good, the water was still warm. P-chan took one last look towards the hallway to make sure no one was watching, and then plopped ungracefully into the tepid water. Ryoga stood up with a rush of water, with an unusually impassive face. A took a towel from the rack and wrapped it around his waist, and then went into Ranma's room. He was about Ranma's size; he'd be able to borrow some of his clothes to wear until he got his own out of the pack he left at _Ucchan's_. After he dressed himself, he carefully replaced the towel on the wrack and started to leave the darkened and silent house. He stopped on his way past Akane's room, however, and looked in on her. She had a stubborn frown on her face, and her left hand twitched once, slightly, as if she wanted to hit something. Ryoga smiled faintly, despondently. _She must be having a dream about Ranma, _he thought to himself as he went down the stairs and left himself out of the Tendos' house, shutting the door noiselessly behind him.   
Nabiki watched him go, waving the Polaroid picture in the air to develop it, a thoughtful expression on her face. "I would _never_ have guessed," she murmured, before flashing an almost wicked smile to the darkness around her and slipping back into her room.   
  
  
  


* * *

_The Eye of the Beholder_, by Tori-chan: email me at saezuru@hotmail.com 


	3. 

* * *

DISCLAIMER: All characters except for Nayami, who is introduced in later chapters, do not belong to me. *ponders Ryoga's fangs wistfully* Unfortunately. C&C always welcome, feel free to email me at saezuru@hotmail.com if you've got any comments. Thanks for reading!

* * *

  
  
  


The Eye of the Beholder   
Chapter 3 

  
  
  
  
  
Ranma sighed and mentally ran over what he'd accomplished so far. These trials had seemed pretty easy so far. There had been two quick, smooth fighters clad in black, who had somehow disappeared from view after he had defeated them, and numerous traps and pitfalls that he'd had to avoid. Now, he was fighting an octopus. At least, that's what it looked like. It had a giant, bulbous head, and flailed about with numerous giant arms, each tipped with a sort of suction cup. However harmless and even comical the thing looked, despite its giant size, Ranma had quickly learned that those suction cups were razor sharp; he had a new gash in his shirt, just barely missing his shoulder, to prove it. While this creature was by far the hardest thing he'd had to fight so far, Ranma was having no trouble beating it using his speed. The thing relied mostly on the fact that its many tentacles, if flailed around fast enough, were bound to hit someone eventually. So though Ranma was not able to get close enough to the creature to land any punches or kicks, the creature also wasn't getting him. And Ranma could keep going at this rate for hours.   
After another fifteen minutes of the fight, Ranma managed to kick one of the arms into a tree trunk. To his surprise, his foot went right through the tentacle, severing the sharp suction cup at the end. "Feh . . . this really isn't all that hard. The book mentioned trials to face in order to gain the state of true sight, but these sure are easy."   
Having discovered his new trick, Ranma quickly sliced off the rest of the tentacles, the stubs of the arms dripping a foul-smelling, greenish substance. The octopus wobbled backwards for a moment, and then toppled over with a crash. Ranma relaxed and straightened out of his fighting pose, wiping his brow free of sweat. "Mess with me, why don't you?" Ranma was so busy looking down with a perverse interest at the feebly moving octopus-thing that he didn't see what was coming up behind him. He had missed one of the tentacles, and it and the little barb on the end were moving slowly and falteringly towards his unprotected back.   
"Ranma! Look _out_!"   
_Akane? What's _she_ doing here? I didn't want her to follow me . . . I didn't tell her where I was going!_ Ranma turned, with the intention of yelling at the tomboy, but what he saw froze him in his spot. The barb, picking up speed now, was racing towards him. So was Akane. Before he could react, Akane had thrown herself between the tentacle and him.   
"Akane!" He moved faster than he had in the fight, kicking the tentacle hard enough to sever it, but was a fraction of a second too late. A look of shock crossed Akane's face, and she looked down at her stomach, where the tentacle had gone in through her front and out through her back. The rest of the monster must have died then, for it disintegrated. "Akane, you dummy!" Ranma knew wounds fairly well, and although it was painful and would put Akane in bed for a long time, it wasn't going to be life-threatening if he got her to a doctor before she bled too much. Ranma caught her as she began to sway, and let her down to the ground, gently.   
"R-Ranma . . . Ranma, I had . . . had to come and . . . warn you . . ." Akane was having trouble shaping the words, and Ranma's brow furrowed to see her in so much pain. "There's . . . there's something wrong about . . . about the yáma . . ."   
Ranma glared furiously down at her. "Shut up! Talking's just going to make it worse. Hang in there, I'm going to take you . . . to a . . . doctor . . ." Ranma's voice trailed off as he saw what was happening to the wound. The edges of it were turning a green color, and there was a weird smell in the air, rather like that of the blood of the monster. Ranma's face paled, and he quickly bent over Akane, tearing her shirt down the middle so he could examine the wound.   
Akane struggled to raise her hand, eyes snapping with anger. "H-hentai . . ."   
Ranma silenced her with a glare, and looked back at the wound. It was just getting worse. He could see the slight green color where whatever poison that had been in those tentacles was spreading into the rest of her body. Soon, it would reach her heart, and then . . . Ranma's throat closed, but he was determined not to let Akane know what he had seen. There was no use frightening her and making her heart beat faster. "Akane . . . We have to get you to a doctor. Are you strong enough to be carried on my back? I don't think we have enough time to put you on a litter."   
Akane smiled, weakly, but it was the old smile she always gave him when he was in an odd enough mood to be nice to her. "Ranma . . . I know. You don't have to hide it. I can feel that thing's poison-- I'm not an idiot. There's no civilization around here for miles, and I know _and_ you know I won't make it that far. I'd much rather just sit here peacefully."   
Ranma stared at her, mouth partly open. "But . . . but I have to save you! I . . . Akane, I'm not doing this 'cause I like you or nothin' . . ." Ranma swallowed. It was getting harder and harder to say that, as Akane's facial expression showed signs of weakening.   
Akane started to laugh, winced as the blood flowed more freely for a moment, and then settled for glaring at him. "Who's asking you, huh?" Her voice was wobbly, whether from physical weakness or something else entirely.   
"You're so uncute," Ranma whispered, watching her. Forgotten was the fact that he was still leaning over her, and was actually quite close to her.   
"Jerk." Akane closed her eyes for a moment, before opening them again. "Ranma . . ." And now a few tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. "Ranma, I don't want to die . . ."   
Ranma took her by the shoulders and gave her such a fierce look that she quieted down into submission. "You are _not_ going to die. That poison or whatever is probably not even fatal. Hey, we've gotten out of worse scrapes than this, right?"   
Akane, who had looked as if she might slip over the edge into panic and hysteria, gratefully held onto the lifeline Ranma had thrown her. "Yeah, of course." Again she closed her eyes. "This is actually a nice place . . . if you discount the . . . monsters."   
Ranma smiled. "Yeah." His face was troubled. "Akane . . . how'd you find me? And why did you follow me?"   
Akane rolled her eyes. "It wasn't hard, dummy . . ." Akane suddenly began to cough, violently, rolling over onto her side and sending a small spray of crimson onto the ground. Ranma held onto her shoulders, supporting her frame until the coughs subsided. Then he wiped the blood from her lips and lifted her torso gently and placed her head on his knee so she'd have something like a pillow. Akane looked grateful, and continued, "Besides . . . how could I let . . . my fiancé go off . . . and get himself killed . . . at some distant mountain?"   
Ranma swallowed. "No one made you go?"   
"They tried to stop me. Ukyo and Shampoo especially. They didn't want . . . didn't want me to get to you first . . . Please Ranma, promise me you'll go back home after . . . after . . ." Akane closed her eyes. "Don't continue on to the mountain . . .. please . . ."   
Ranma nodded. "Whatever you say, Akane." Several moments of silence passed, and Ranma began to get worried. "Akane?" He shook her slightly, and said more urgently, "Akane?! Akane!"   
Akane opened her eyes, taking several moments before she could focus. Even then her gaze looked odd; as if she wasn't really seeing what was going on around her. "R-Ranma . . . please let me go to sleep . . . I'm so tired . . . you can talk to me tomorrow morning . . . let me rest, or I'll oversleep tomorrow and we'll be late for school . . ."   
Ranma stared down at her. He was losing her. He squeezed her shoulders, hard. "Akane, listen to me! You have to hang on, have to stay awake!"   
"Don't want to." She brought her knees up slightly and curled up with her head in Ranma's lap. "Want to sleep . . . sleep . . ."   
Ranma had to try something else. He reached a hand and slapped her on the cheek, harder than he had first meant. "You are SO uncute! I hate you! You ruined my life! See if I care whether you die or not . . . and I _will_ just keep going to the mountain! The cure to my curse means a million times more than you, any day."   
Akane's eyes snapped open angrily, but they were intelligent once more. That was better than that blank, unseeing stare of a couple moments ago. "Oh, _so_? If I'm such . . . such a bother to you . . . then I'll just go home . . ."   
Ranma nodded fiercely, containing his glee at getting an intelligent reaction from her. "You do that, dummy!" There was no sound for the next few moments, but Akane's eyes were open and she was watching him, so Ranma didn't worry. "Akane . . ." he whispered.   
"R-Ranma, I . . . to tell you the truth, I followed you because I had to tell . . . had to tell you before something . . . happened to one of us . . ."   
"Hush, Akane. Stop talking. Didn't I tell you to shut up already?"   
"Hai . . ." The wind stirred her hair, and she watched the leaves swirl in an updraft with dull eyes. "I don't want to die, Ranma. Not yet."   
Ranma was losing his grip on composure and sanity, and he squeezed her shoulders again. "You're not going to! See, I'll prove it to you." He leaned down and kissed her, on the forehead. "There, you see?"   
Akane looked puzzled. "How is that supposed to prove that . . . I'm not dying?"   
Ranma shrugged, as if that should be common knowledge. "Idiot," he said absently. "Think about it; would I ever fall in love or whatever with someone who's going to die before I can marry her?"   
Akane's eyes widened slightly. "Ranma . . ."   
Ranma continued with, "And anyway, you're macho and a tomboy to boot, and you're tough enough to survive any dumb poison."   
Akane looked slightly angry, but only briefly. She smiled up at him and whispered, "Arigato, Ranma. Thank you." And she closed her eyes, her head sliding from Ranma's knee.   
  
  
  
  
"Akane!" Ranma sat bolt upright to a dark room, staring in a near hysteria all around himself. "Akane . . . Where are you? Where am _I_?" After a few more moments of blind panic, Ranma suddenly realized that it had been a dream. He'd dreamed it all. "Kami-sama . . . that was one of the most disturbing dreams . . ." Ranma lay back down on his pallet, staring up at the angled ceiling of his tent. "What was that supposed to mean?" he wondered aloud. "Was it a premonition? Or a warning?" The Akane in his dream had warned him that the mountain was not at all what it seemed, but he could have just dreamed it because of his own anxiety about the mysterious place. The whole thing could just be due to nerves, and of no significance at all. "But it had felt so real. I felt her die . . ." Ranma shuddered. "Well, at least I didn't tell her where I had gone, and there's no way she's going to figure it out herself. She won't be able to follow me."   
Tomorrow, he'd begin the final ascent to the peak of the mountain, where supposedly his "prize" of the true sight would be waiting for him. It would take him about a day to reach the summit, if he moved quickly. And so far, he'd seen nothing of the trials mentioned in the text book. Perhaps those explorers who had started the myth had wiped all the trials out? Ranma rolled over. _I'd better get as much sleep as I can. If there's going to be any of these 'trials' tomorrow, I'm going to need plenty of rest tonight._   
Just before he dropped off to sleep, Ranma sensed something; a change in the air currents, perhaps, or in temperature. Perhaps it was just instinct that told him to roll over and get the hell out of there. So he did, and a nanosecond later a sword followed by a black-clad human figure plunged through the top of the tent, slicing into his pallet and the ground beneath where his unprotected back had been.   
"Ah. Took you long enough." Ranma bent his knees, holding out his hands in a ready position. "Come and get me, you jackass." _And the so-called trials begin,_ thought Ranma with a slight smirk on his lips, as he waited for the fight to begin.   
  
  
  
  
Akane sat bolt upright, holding her head in one hand. "Again!" She'd had that dumb dream where Ranma died again. She kept having it, every couple nights or so. She glanced down at her western-style bed and noticed that the sheets were twisted and tangled from her tossing and turning. She sighed, slid out of bed, and straightened out the linens. Then she remembered what had happened last night, and looked around. "P-chan? P-chan, where'd you go?" Akane sighed. The little pig was always running off like this; you'd think the pig would remember where she lived and not wander off all the time, getting lost all over the city.   
As Akane got dressed, she noticed how quiet the house was. Usually, Ranma and Genma would be fighting, perhaps over some food, or Nabiki would be closing some deal over her cellular phone. And if no one was awake, you could usually hear Ranma snoring from any room in the house. Akane smiled, stretching luxuriously. "It's so peaceful!" She paused, mulling over that thought. Perhaps she shouldn't have said that out loud; usually when someone said something like that, something horrible soon happened just to disturb the peace. Well, there was that and then there was, 'Well, what else can go wrong?' or 'It can't get any worse!' Akane chuckled at her thoughts and headed towards the bathroom to wash her face and brush her teeth. And came face to face with Nabiki. "Onéesan! Er . . . good morning . . ."   
Nabiki smiled, tilting her head to one side. "Morning, sis." The middle sister gave Akane a strange, almost calculating look for a moment, and then sauntered on down the stairs.   
Akane blinked. _That was . . . odd. Even for Nabiki._ She shrugged and continued into the bathroom.   
  
  
  
  
At the breakfast table, things were unusually quiescent. The heavy silence was broken by the occasional "Pass the rice balls, please," and Kasumi's "Would you like some more tea?" Akane almost found herself uneasy at the calm table; was she so used to disorder and chaotic squabbling that she couldn't do without it. She stood up rather suddenly, startling the rest of her family and Saotome-san. "I . . . I've got a date with some friends of mine. I'll be back later. Seeya!" And she headed out the door. At this rate, she'd be a half hour early for her council of war with Ukyo and Shampoo, but she just didn't want to stay in the house anymore. It was a beautiful day, at that-- not a cloud in the sky, the kind of day you can only get after a thunderstorm clears the air. Akane decided that she'd go for a walk, but didn't really plan where she would go. She found herself near the river, and climbed down the cement wall to the bank. She watched the water go by for a while, and then lay back in the grass. Breathing deeply, Akane closed her eyes, and was soon asleep.   
  
  
  
  
"Where the hell is that girl?" Ukyo paced near the doorway of _Ucchan's_, fingering her combat spatula and fuming audibly.   
"Maybe she oversleep?" Shampoo suggested quietly from where she sat. She didn't really like the way Ukyo was getting angry. The chef might decide to take it out on _her_.   
Ukyo let out a long breath, slumping her shoulders. "Maybe we should just start without her. She probably decided not to come after all, the dolt."   
Shampoo stood up and took a few steps towards the door. "Let's go, then. Where we go? Shampoo not want stay here; restaurant too too noisy."   
Ukyo nodded thoughtfully. "We could always go to the park. I'll close down the restaurant for a while."   
Shampoo smiled, but it wasn't a friendly smile at all. "Is good."   
So the two girls went to the park, and began to walk down the many paths. For a long time, neither said anything. Finally, Ukyo decided to break the silence. "So you're sure you don't know where Ranchan's gone?" Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Shampoo suspiciously.   
"I tell you thousand time, dummy, I not know! If Shampoo know where Ranma gone, Shampoo would follow him!"   
"Well excuuuse me for asking!" Ukyo could feel her fragile temper fraying. "I'm just as worried about him as you are, if not more. After all, the only reason you want him is because of that stupid Amazon law. I want to find him because I love him."   
Shampoo's eyes flashed. "Miserable spatula girl not know how important is Amazon law! Is law that has been followed for many thousand year!"   
Ukyo crossed her arms and leaned forward belligerently. "That's no reason to try and cheat a girl out of the man she loves, now is it?"   
"Shampoo not cheat anyone! Stand and fight, spatula girl!"   
"My pleasure, you Chinese bimbo!"   
"Stop it, you guys!" Akane appeared from the cement slope down to the river. She was rubbing her eyes, as if she'd been asleep, and had a few discreet pieces of grass in her hair. "We need to figure out where that idiot's gone this time, not try and kill each other."   
Shampoo and Ukyo were still glaring at each other, but they both grudgingly replaced the weapons they had whipped out. Ukyo nodded and seated herself in the shade with her back to a tree. "Yeah. So, any clues as to his whereabouts?"   
Shampoo didn't reply, and Akane had to think a long time before she said, "Well, he did have a mythology textbook, which he had taken from school, with him on the day before he disappeared. I don't know what that has to do with anything, though. He seemed really excited about something on our way home from school; and mythology and all that never really interested him at all, much less excited him."   
Ukyo smiled fondly. "Yeah, the only thing that excites Ranchan is a new form of training, or some way to get better at martial arts. D'you think he knows he's already the best at least for many miles?"   
Shampoo shrugged. "Either training or cure for girl-type. Ranma go nuts when hear about cure."   
Ukyo's smile faded, and she got a look of intense concentration on her face. "Say that again?"   
Shampoo looked puzzled. "Shampoo say, Ranma go nuts when hear about cure."   
Ukyo jumped to her feet, slapping her fist into the palm of her hand. "That's it! C'mon you guys, we have to make a trip to Furinken High." And she was weaving her way back through the trees before either Akane or Shampoo could say anything. Shampoo followed out of curiosity, and Akane trailed behind with a bemused expression.   
When they arrived at school, they got one of the janitors to let them in. Although he wasn't supposed to let kids in on the weekends, the janitor didn't really like the looks of any of them. One of them had something strapped to her back that looked like the unholy union of a cooking utensil and a blade, another was holding a club-like weapon in either hand, and the last one-- well, _everybody_ around the school knew Akane Tendo. "Just be sure to put everything back where you found it!" He called after them as they sped off down the darkened hallways. "Are you even listening to me?" The janitor drooped. "I didn't think so."   
Ukyo was leading them towards the home room that Ranma, Akane, and Ukyo were in. "Quick, in here. Come on, hurry up. I want to see if I'm right. Akane, can you find a copy of the book Ranchan had with him in here?"   
Akane nodded slowly, and began looking inside the desks. Not too much later, she brought up the mythology book that had so captivated Ranma the day before.   
Ukyo opened it and flipped to the very front, where the index was. She ran a finger down a page, turned it, and ran her finger down that page. "Crickets . . . crosses . . . ah, curses!" Her jaw dropped. "Whoa, this list goes on for nearly a whole page!" Akane and Shampoo leaned over to read over her shoulder. "Let's see . . . is Jusenkyö listed? Nope. Shape-changing? Nope. I'd better just read through the whole list." After several moments of three pairs of eyes roaming over the list of curses in the mythology textbook, Ukyo angrily threw the book onto the desk and rested her chin in her hands. "Well, so much for that idea." She sighed. "And I had been so sure it was going to work, too!"   
Akane smiled. "Ah, don't worry, Ukyo. It was a good idea." She patted the disconsolate okonomiyaki chef on the shoulder.   
Shampoo, meanwhile, had picked up the discarded textbook and was leafing through the pages of the index. "Ahem?" she called out, hesitantly. "Although there nothing on 'curse', there some listing on 'cures for' . . ."   
Ukyo and Akane snatched the book from Shampoo's hands at the same time. They glared at each other, each tugging back and forth as hard as they could. "Give it to me!" Ukyo said loudly, yanking on her half the book. "It was my idea, let me look!"   
Akane scowled darkly and said through clenched teeth, "Oh, no you don't! I reached it first, so I get to look!" She punctuated her words with an extra hard haul on the book. Soon the argument progressed (or perhaps regressed) into the usual 'insult me, I insult you back; hit me, I hit you back' situation. Desks overturned and chairs cracked ominously as Akane and Ukyo hammered away at each other, a slight cloud of dust rising. Shampoo watched them a moment before walking over and picking up the now-battered book from where it lay forgotten by the combatants. She checked the page number that she had seen earlier and flipped through the pages until she reached the right chapter. Then she sat down at one of the desks, shut out the noise of the fight going on, and began to read.   
  
  
  
  
_Akane looked up at Ryoga with shining eyes. "Really, Ryoga? You'd do that for me?"_   
_Ryoga smiled down upon her, feeling the wind rustle dramatically through his hair. "I'd do anything for you, Akane. Because . . . because I love you."_   
_"Oh, Ryoga!"_   
_"Akane . . ."_   
  
  
Ryoga sighed, shaking his head to clear the fantasy from it. Some day Akane would see how he felt. _Some day . . ._ He pushed his way out of his tent, letting the flap close behind him as he stepped out into the forest-dappled sunlight. He had run away from the Tendo house the previous night, without noticing where he was going, and had ended up in this forest. What was Akane doing now? He wondered to himself as he broke camp, packing away the tiny, one-person tent and set a pot of water boiling for tea. He was feeling kind of muddled and drowsy this morning. _It's all Ukyo's fault, making me go out in the freezing cold rain like that. If I _don't_ get sick, it'll be thanks to Akane drying me and warming me up like that. At least she didn't try to give me a bath. _Ryoga clenched his fist in determination. Some day, he would find a cure to his horrible curse, and never have to take the shape of the black piglet ever again. _Some day . . . just not today. _Ryoga finished packing up his camp, made his tea, and set out towards Nerima again. He hoped.   
  
  
  
  
"Yama no Hontou no Shiryoku? What a strange name. Something just doesn't sound right about this." Akane tapped one finger against her chin as she thought hard, and winced as it struck a bruise. She threw a quick glare towards Ukyo.   
Shampoo shrugged, pointing to the page in the book that mentioned the mountain. "Is what book says. Is you calling Shampoo a liar?"   
Ukyo ignored Akane's look, voicing her disagreement. "I'd say it's definitely enough to attract Ranchan's attention, enough to make him pack up and head over there to check it out. Remember that business with the 'spring' under Nerima and all those colored vases he tried to track down? That was even more tenuous than this, and he was nearly frantic to get at that spring."   
Akane huffed quietly, and said sullenly, "I still think it's just a little too easy. Why wouldn't everyone with a physical disorder go there and be cured of it? Not to mention just normal people who don't like the way they look. Which is just about everyone."   
Ukyo paused. "I don't really know. Maybe it's the trials to be passed. While they wouldn't pose a threat to Ranchan, they might to ordinary people, and especially to physically disabled people."   
Akane sighed. "Yeah, maybe." She had a sudden thought. "Why don't we go ask Dr. Tofu about this? He's pretty well versed in _medical_ mythology and folk tales . . . so maybe he's read something about this legend in his studies."   
Shampoo nodded, standing up. "Is good. We go now? Shampoo want find Ranma soon."   
Ukyo nodded as well, decisively. "Yep, lead the way, Akane."   
Akane slid the poor, dilapidated book back inside the desk, opened the classroom door, and strode out of the room.   
  
  
  
  
"Hmm, yes, Yáma Hontoo no Shiryoku." Dr. Tofu nodded, eyes closed in thought. "I haven't heard about that place in a long time. I have done reading on it, yes. Why do you want to know about it? I hope you three aren't planning to go there; it's very dangerous."   
Akane shook her head. "No, we're not." Well, it was only partly a lie. They weren't planning to go there _yet_. We just read something in a book at school and were . . . curious. Why's it dangerous?" She tried as best she could to hide the anxiety in her voice. The three had decided, on the way there, not to let Dr. Tofu know about Ranma's disappearance.   
"There are many trials one has to face in order to reach the summit, and those alone could kill someone."   
Akane breathed a sigh of relief. Those trials had sounded easy. Ranma would be able to handle them.   
Ukyo wasn't convinced, however. "You mean that's it? Any martial artist worth their salt would be able to beat whatever trials were there."   
Akane nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and Ranma would be able to beat them easy." She quickly clapped her hands over her mouth, hoping that Dr. Tofu wouldn't notice her slip.   
Dr. Tofu gave Akane a long look and then said very carefully, "Don't ever take Ranma there. While you three going by yourselves would merely be dangerous and life-threatening, Ranma's life would be gone as sure as the fact that the sun will rise tomorrow. Ranma must never go there."   
All three girls stared at him. Dr. Tofu blinked. "What? What'd I say?"   
Ukyo leaped forward and grabbed the doctor's collar. "What do you mean, Ranchan's life'll be gone?! Why him and not us?!"   
Dr. Tofu chuckled nervously and gently tried to push the girl away from him."Ah . . . well, you see, it's like this. From time to time, people have traveled to the mountain in search of various things: fame, fortune, health, that sort of thing. All the women have been found battered and barely clinging to their lives at the bottom of the mountain, presumably from the trials mentioned in the legend. All the men, however, have disappeared completely. Without a trace. Never seen or heard from again. And some were very good martial artists indeed."   
While Ukyo rocked back on her heels, absorbing this quietly, Akane's thoughts were in a tumble; did this mean whatever had happened to those people would happen to Ranma? And if it did, where would he be taken? Would he be able to get himself out of it? Akane stood up and executed a small bow to Dr. Tofu. "Arigato, Dr. Tofu. Come on, guys, let's go."   
Ukyo nodded and stood up as well, followed closely by Shampoo, who gave Dr. Tofu a long, suspicious glare. "I think doctor not telling all about evil mountain," said the Amazon warrior.   
Dr. Tofu looked rather chagrined, and began waving them out the door earnestly. "No, no, I assure you, I've told all I know about it, young lady."   
Shampoo sniffed and followed the other two girls out the door. Once the door was safely closed, Dr. Tofu let out the breath he'd been holding and stared after the trio through the window.   
  
  
  
  
"Just where do you think you're _going?"_ Ukyo said testily, putting her hands on her hips and blocking the door out of _Ucchan's_, where they had returned so Akane could collect the things she'd left there the day before.   
"To go get Ranma, of course," Akane stopped just in front of the young chef, and continued speaking calmly. "He's sure not going to be able to get himself out of this mess, and if he's really in danger, I can't sit back and let him go, can I?"   
Ukyo looked surprised for a moment and then grinned craftily. "You've finally admitted it, then?"   
Akane raised an eyebrow. "Admitted what?"   
Ukyo kept grinning. "That you're in love with my Ranchan."   
Akane's face turned bright crimson and for a moment, she just stared at Ukyo with her mouth hanging slightly open. Then she lashed out with her fist, shouting, "I am _NOT_ in love with _ANYONE!_" Then, as an afterthought, she added, "And he's not _your_ anything."   
But Ukyo had been prepared for violence and dodged out of the way, laughing. "Of course not. I was just kidding with you. Anyway, it doesn't matter . . . _I'm_ going to be the one to save Ranma. Until then, though, wanna travel with me? We'd be better as a team, and would travel faster with more than one person to set up camp at night and stuff."   
Akane relaxed a little, dropping her hand from where it had been aiming for a blow to Ukyo's face and taking a few steps back into the restaurant. She looked curiously at the other girl for a few moments. She seemed almost . . . embarrassed, or something like that. Akane shrugged, and nodded. "Yeah, okay. Sounds fine to me." She suddenly thought of something. "Hey-- don't you think we should ask Dr. Tofu to come with us? He'd be able to heal Ranma if he's hurt or something, and he'd certainly be a help when we reached the mountain, so I'm sure he wouldn't be a burden."   
Ukyo nodded, tapping her fingers against her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm, that does sound like a good idea. Let's ask him before we go."   
"Shampoo come too?" Shampoo stood in the doorway behind Ukyo, silhouetted by the afternoon sunlight.   
Ukyo and Akane exchanged glances and then sighed. Akane gave Shampoo as friendly a smile as she could muster. "Sure. You can come too."   
Shampoo smiled wide enough for the expression to be seen even through the sunlight. "Meet at edge of town at dusk next day, is okay?"   
Ukyo grinned at Shampoo's impatience, feeling it herself. "Yep! Meet you there tomorrow night."   
  
  
  
  
Akane sat down on the fallen tree, setting her pack next to her. She was ten minutes early-- but she didn't mind. If she'd stayed any later, she'd have been at the house for dinner and her family would have stopped her from going out at night. She'd talked to Dr. Tofu a few hours after leaving Ukyo and Shampoo, and persuaded him to come along after telling him the whole story. Though reluctant, he'd agreed to come when Akane had begged him to, using that little-girl voice of hers. Akane grinned to herself, remembering how soft Dr. Tofu was when it came to children; and the man still thought of her as a child. A piece of her still resented the fact that he didn't see her as a woman, but she'd long left that part of her behind. She began to get restless, waiting for the others, so she got up and began to pace back and forth. On a whim, she glanced back towards the forest; and froze at what she saw, shock stopping her in her tracks.   
"Well, well, well, sis. Where are you off to in such a hurry and without telling your family, too?" Nabiki's head was down and her eyes were in shadow, so Akane was unable to determine her sister's expression beyond the smirk that traced her lips.   
Akane forced herself to relax and look completely inconspicuous. "Oh, I was feeling restless, and decided to take a walk before dinner."   
Nabiki lifted her head, looking her sister squarely in the eye, letting Akane see that her eyes were no warmer than that smile. "With that pack?" she asked, pointing at the large camping backpack Akane had brought, arching an eyebrow.   
Akane's eyes followed the direction of Nabiki's finger, and she swallowed. "Er . . . how did that get there? I have no clue what it might be. It's not mine.   
Meanwhile Nabiki had walked towards the log, crouched down, and was reading something written on the pack. "Akane Tendo," she read aloud, and glanced up. "Or at least I think that's what it says. This embroidery's kind of hard to make out."   
Akane's hands balled into fists in anger. "So I'm not good with my hands! So what?"   
Nabiki straightened up again, giving Akane an _almost _friendly smile. "You're no good at lying. You just don't have the face for it, sis. So I'll ask you again; where are you going? No, wait; you don't have to answer me. I already know. You're going to find Ranma, aren't you?"   
Akane swallowed, trying to gather her scattered wits enough to come up with a plausible reply. Then she drooped, a feeling of utter defeat washing through her. There was no way she'd be able to lie to Nabiki. So she'd tell her the truth, and Nabiki would stop her and take her home before she could leave, and Ranma would be trapped in that mountain thing forever. No, Ukyo and Shampoo would go on without her and get to him first . . . Akane closed her eyes. "Yeah. I'm going to find Ranma."   
Nabiki crossed her arms across her chest. "I don't think you should go. Those trials sound dangerous, and all the women who have gone have either been found dead or almost dead."   
Akane's temper began to flare. "Yeah, well, I'm not like other women, _and_ I'll have Ukyo and Shampoo and Dr. Tofu with me-- hey, how'd you know where I was going?"   
Nabiki waved a hand distractedly. "I have sources. Dr. Tofu is going too? Why is that?"   
Akane watched her sister nervously. Sometimes she was actually a nice person, with a great sense of humor, but at other times, like this one, she was completely unnerving. "He knows things about the mountain that we don't. And he's a doctor; we may need him when we find Ranma. Or on the way to finding Ranma."   
Nabiki nodded thoughtfully. "You may have a chance at succeeding. So, if you are set on going, I'm going with you." She flashed Akane a toothy smile, reminding Akane of a predator when it knows it has caught it's prey.   
Akane shook her head firmly. "Absolutely not. You're not a martial artist, so you'd just be in the way. You're one person that we'll have to defend, so we'd have to watch over more than just ourselves. And the more people that come, the less chance we'll have of surprising--"   
Nabiki interrupted smoothly and quietly, "Let me come, or I'll let everyone know about the picture."   
Akane stopped short, her heart skipping a beat. Was Nabiki talking about that picture of Ranma asleep that Akane had kept all this time? Akane swallowed, her mind racing. Or maybe Nabiki had an even worse picture of her, a picture that would make the whole trip a living hell with all the teasing she'd get.   
Nabiki watched Akane's reaction with dimly concealed amusement. She didn't really have a compromising picture of the girl; she'd never do that to her own sister. But most people, especially when dealing with Nabiki Tendo, had some sort of monster hiding in the closet that they don't want to share. As long as Akane believed that her sister had an embarrassing photo of her, Nabiki was quite safe.   
Akane sighed, sinking down to sit on the fallen tree again. "You win, Nabiki. You can come. But you'll have to explain yourself to the others, not me."   
Nabiki nodded with a much more sisterly smile, sitting down on the log next to Akane. "Deal. And I'm really not as helpless as you think. I _am_ the equivalent of a black belt level in martial arts, you know. I had to learn some just by being our father's daughter. I just don't compare with all you martial arts jocks that have been coming recently. And I have other ways, too."   
Akane nodded dully, putting her chin in her hands. Everything was turning out wrong already, and they hadn't even begun the trip. Something was going surely to happen to Nabiki, and although the girl could be cold and even cruel sometimes, she was still Akane's sister. So Akane would have to look out for her, using the valuable time and attention she needed to find Ranma. Maybe she could get Dr. Tofu to look out for her. Akane suddenly stood up, causing Nabiki to look at her with one raised eyebrow. "I have to go . . . I have to go collect Dr. Tofu. I told him I'd meet him and then we'd come up here together." Akane laughed, a tinny sound. "Stupid of me to forget, isn't it?"   
Nabiki stood up as well. "If you're going, then I'm going to go make a few preparations myself. Let some people know I'm leaving, pack my bag, that sort of thing." Nabiki paused, and then called out as Akane turned to go, "Oh, and one more thing, Akane."   
Akane turned back, curiously, and asked, "What now?"   
One corner of Nabiki's mouth turned up in a kind of smirk. "Don't even think about gathering the others and slipping out of here without me. I have eyes everywhere. If I choose, not the slightest movement of yours will go unnoticed, not the tiniest lifting of your little finger. And if I hear about you leaving, I can follow you in an instant. And if I don't, I can make your life a living hell."   
Akane swallowed, backed up a few steps, and then suddenly turned and fled the area. Once she was far enough away, she stopped, bending down and putting her hands on her knees, breathing heavily. She wondered, idly, if Nabiki could read minds; it certainly seemed like it at times. It was true, what she'd said; she did have to go get Dr. Tofu. But it was also true that she had been thinking of rounding up Ukyo and Shampoo and skipping out of there as fast as she could. It wasn't that she thought Nabiki would ruin their plans, it was just that . . . well, Akane was worried for her sister. She didn't want to put her in needless danger. _At any rate,_ Akane thought to herself as she began walking again, _I better get to Dr. Tofu's before he comes looking for _me_._ And she continued towards his clinic.   
  
  
  
  
Nabiki watched Akane flee the area with mixed emotions. It was true that she did get a rise out of scaring her little sister, but for once Nabiki was having a twinge of an unknown feeling in her chest. Guilt? No, Nabiki Tendo is known for being shameless. So what was it? Nabiki sighed and sank down onto the log, an unconscious imitation of Akane's behavior. _Preparations . . . Preparations . . . Let's see, I'll have to inform my people where I'm going, so they can pass the word. _Nabiki reached into her denim jacket and pulled out a small, black cellular phone. She dialed the number and then waited for the answer. One ring . . . Two . . . Three--   
"Moshi moshi?"   
"Ah, Hasano. Tendo-san here. I'm going to be leaving on a little . . . vacation . . ."   
  
  
  
  
When Akane arrived at Dr. Tofu's office, she felt like leaving again at once. Outside his clinic, near the gate, were several patients cowering in near fear, one of them so urgent as to be on a stretcher. That there were this many patients waiting to be seen could only mean one thing; Akane strained to hear what was going on in the clinic, and she could faintly hear her eldest sister's voice saying, "Oh, you're so silly, Dr. Tofu!" Akane steeled herself, strode through the gates, and went through the door to the clinic.   
Dr. Tofu was reverently holding a covered dish, and speaking raptly to the counter-top. "Kasumi, I can't tell you how much I appreciate this!"   
Kasumi was standing off to one side, smiling benevolently. "You're very welcome, Dr. Tofu."   
"No, really, it's too much! You have too much to do looking out for your household to spend time making me dinners!"   
Kasumi tilted her head to the side, still smiling. "You say that every time, Dr. Tofu. Don't be silly! I know you're always so busy treating patients that you don't have time to fix yourself proper meals."   
The couple was interrupted as Akane cleared her throat. "Kasumi, I need to talk to Dr. Tofu. Privately."   
Dr. Tofu was still muttering something under his breath. "Yes, yes, privately, Kasumi. Hee!" The dish holding the dinner Kasumi had made for him suddenly began to crack under the pressure of his hands.   
Kasumi looked puzzled. "Oh? Whatever for?"   
Akane sighed, sagging a little. "It would take too long to explain, Kasumi, but I really can't talk to him intelligently while you're here."   
"Heehee!"   
Kasumi hesitated for a moment and then nodded reluctantly. "Well, alright, Akane. Make sure you're back in time for dinner in half hour!" And the young woman went quietly out the door after giving Dr. Tofu a small bow.   
Dr. Tofu set the cracked dish down on the counter and then picked up the bony hand of Betsy, the skeleton. "Kasumi, thank you ever so much for this--"   
Akane was losing her patience. "Dr. Tofu! Kasumi's not even _here_ anymore; you can stop!"   
Dr. Tofu turned and peered at Akane through the glare on his glasses. "Oh?"   
Akane nodded, putting her hands on her hips. "Yes, oh. Look, we need to hurry and get out of here. Ranma could reach the mountain at any time; we need to get ourselves moving, _now_!"   
Dr. Tofu cleared his throat and straightened up. "Yes, yes, of course. Sorry, Akane. I don't know what came over me. Just a moment, and I'll get my bag." And with that, the doctor disappeared though the door into the back room.   
Akane sighed and flopped into one of the chairs set out for waiting patients. She was _not_ having a very good day so far. Everything just seemed to be conspiring against her, what with Ranma's disappearance, Shampoo and Ukyo's involvement, the reminder of Dr. Tofu's feelings for Kasumi, and Nabiki's interference. It was all so unfair-- why couldn't she just go back to being a relatively normal high school student, with normal friends, and an (almost) normal family? It was all Ranma's fault; if he hadn't shown up, then all those people that tried to fight him or marry him wouldn't have shown up, and Nerima would just be a normal town. Akane began to feel something rising in her, and felt tears of frustration and tension begin to fill her eyes, threatening to spill over and down her cheeks. There was just too much going on, and all she wanted was to spend _one_ day without any of these dumb interruptions.   
"Akane? Oh my, what's wrong, Akane? Is it Ranma?"Kasumi was peering anxiously into her little sister's face, bent over slightly.   
Akane stifled startled yelp and drew back away from Kasumi's face. "Eek! Don't sneak up on me like that, Kasumi!" She wiped away the angry tears as surreptitiously as she could. "There's nothing wrong. I'm just tired."   
Kasumi didn't look convinced, but smiled anyway. "Oh, alright then. Well, I brought you some food to take with you on the trip."   
"Oh, thank you, Kas--" Akane suddenly stopped short as she reached for the bag Kasumi was holding out to her. "My trip? How'd _you_ find out about it?"   
Kasumi smiled cheerfully. "I overheard you talking to Dr. Tofu about it. I hope you don't mind."   
Akane blinked in surprise. She hadn't thought Kasumi was the eavesdropping type. "Oh, no . . . of course not. Um, thanks for the food, onéesan."   
Kasumi inclined her head to one side. "You're most welcome, imootó. I have my own in my pack." The older girl gestured to the traveling pack on the doorstep, which Akane had not seen before.   
Akane blinked again. "You're coming with us?"   
"Yes."   
"Oh . . ." It didn't really seem right to question Kasumi, so Akane struggled for a long time with her conscience before asking, " . . . Why?"   
Kasumi laughed quietly. "You're so silly, Akane. You're going to need _someone_ to cook and clean and tidy for all of you on the trip, aren't you?"   
Akane took all of this in stride. It was Kasumi, after all. "Oh. Okay."   
At that moment, Dr. Tofu came out of the doorway, took one look at Kasumi, turned, and walked into the wall. "Oh, Kasumi!" he said, his voice muffled by the slightly cracked wall. "You're still here!"   
Kasumi nodded, smiling again. "Yes! I'm coming along with you all. Akane says it's alright, and you don't mind, do you?"   
Dr. Tofu's eyes widened. "B-B-But it's going to be dangerous! You could get hurt!" Even through the lovesick haze he was in, he had _some_ sense.   
Kasumi took a step forward, handing Dr. Tofu a wrapped package like the one containing food that she had given to Akane. "Oh, don't be silly. There will be a lot of people there to protect me. It'll be fine. I can come, can't I?"   
Dr. Tofu tried to escape the gaze of the young woman, a sweat drop appearing near his temple. After a few moments, his resolve crumbled beneath that smile and he gave up. "Of course you can, Kasumi." He reached out in order to place a hand on Kasumi's shoulder. "It'll be fun!"   
Akane surreptitiously guided the poor, confused Dr. Tofu's hand from her shoulder to Kasumi's. "Okay . . . I _think_ we should get going now." _Before we pick up any more unwanted companions._   
  
  
  
  
The five of them, Ukyo, Shampoo, Akane, Dr. Tofu, and Kasumi, regrouped at the meeting place, and settled down to wait for Nabiki. Ukyo and Shampoo were still angry about the two additions of Akane's sisters, but were at least sulking about it quietly now.   
"Six is too much slower than four!" Shampoo had cried, in outrage. "We be so slow now, and never catch up to Ranma!"   
Ukyo had felt compelled to her two cents worth. "Yeah, and Ranma's all by himself. And you _know_ how far and fast her can run when he has reason!"   
Akane had already tried to explain to them several times when Kasumi had taken over. "Come on, you two, the more the merrier, right?" And she had turned such a buoyant, sunny smile on the pair that their indignation crumbled like a cookie.   
Now, they were all waiting and showing various signs of impatience. Kasumi was standing with her back to a tree, watching in cheerful amusement while Dr. Tofu proceeded to have an avid debate with a tree. Ukyo had unstrapped her spatula and was fidgeting nervously with it, her hazel eyes scanning the horizon restlessly. Shampoo was pacing back and forth, muttering under her breath in Chinese. Akane was smashing rocks, in the absence of handy cinder blocks.   
"Hiiiiiiyah! Ooh, where _is_ she? She _told_ me she was going to be right back!" Akane wiped a bit of sweat from her brow and surveyed her destruction of the terrain, and was looking around for more suitable targets to hit when a movement caught her eye. "Nabiki! There you are!"   
"Yes, yes, here I am. I'd say I was sorry to have taken so long, except that what I was doing was actually useful." Nabiki set down her pack, which looked considerably emptier than everyone else's.   
Akane frowned at her older sister. "You're going to need more stuff than that. Because I'm not going to give you my stuff when you need it."   
Nabiki waved a hand, negligently. "Oh, I've brought all that I'm going to need."   
Akane raised an eyebrow, not convinced. "Oh? And where is it?"   
For answer, Nabiki turned and called out, "Hey, come on up here! What's taking you so long!" Then, turning back, she muttered to herself, "Slowpoke."   
Akane blinked and peered through the fading light at the figure that was approaching with growing horror. "Nabiki! You didn't!" she gasped, unable to tear her eyes from the sight that was staggering towards her.   
"I did. He'll be useful when it comes to fighting, and hey, I need a bodyguard, like you said. He'll work quite nicely, and he makes a good packhorse."   
"You _hired_ Kuno to be your _bodyguard_?"   
"Correction, my dear sister. I'd never _pay _anyone to be my bodyguard. I can take care of that myself. No, all I had to do was mention that the pig-tailed goddess was in trouble, and he was all but leaping to join us. You've got to admit it, Akane, he _will_ be useful."   
Kuno reached the rest of them, allowing the double load of gear slide from his back. He straightened, his back popping from the strain of having been bent beneath the weight of two people's supplies. "Akane Tendo . . . thou art as fair by night as you are by day. Your sister Nabiki has invited me to come along on your quest, and I could not help but join you, for I must protect such uninhibited beauty, such--"   
"Stuff it, Kuno!" Akane shouted, ending his rhetoric with a fist in his face. "I am _NOT_ in the mood for this!" And she stomped off into the woods a ways, from whence began to emanate various noises of destruction.   
The rest of the group looked after her curiously. Shampoo stopped her pacing. "What get into dumb macho girl?"   
Kasumi, with a slightly worried wrinkle marring her forehead, felt compelled to add, "Oh my."   
  
  
  
  
Ranma wiped the sweat from his brow. This was turning out to be easier than he had thought. He had been expecting it to be at least a little challenging to get up the mountain in one piece, but he was spotting all the supposed trials before they could touch him, and was beating them before they knew what was hitting them. Before he knew it, he was standing in front of a cave, tired but very much alive and unharmed. He didn't know how, but he could tell that he was supposed to go into the cave. It didn't feel like any of the trials. No, he was fairly sure that the Hontoo no Shiryoku thing was in this cave somewhere. Ranma smiled, assuming a pose of combat readiness as he stepped over the threshold of stone into the cavern. "Here goes nothin'."   
  
  
  
  
Two days; they'd spent two days on the road, and so far, Akane had managed not to kill anyone out of frustration. With the possible exception of Kuno, anyway; a fact that hadn't been determined yet. After numerous attempts to glomp onto Akane, Akane had finally just given him a series of kicks in several tender places. The boy was now lying on a litter which was being dragged by Dr. Tofu. Ah, Dr. Tofu; he had somehow managed to learn how to control the insanity that came upon him whenever he saw Kasumi. Oh, he still talked to the wrong people and even to things every time, but he had learned to carefully stay away from all objects, animate or inanimate, so he wouldn't cause any lasting damage to anything. They were setting camp right now, and Akane, as usual, was doing most of the work. Ukyo and Shampoo were arguing over who would get to cook dinner, Kasumi was cooking dinner while they argued, Dr. Tofu was happily talking to a bramble bush named Kasumi, Nabiki was chattering urgently over her cellular phone and trying to stay far enough away from Dr. Tofu so as not to be mistaken for her older sister, and Kuno . . . well, Kuno was still out cold.   
Akane, after setting up the last of the tents, felt the ground begin to shiver, imperceptibly at first. Then the movement grew more and more pronounced, until the others stopped their various activities and had to sit down before they toppled over.   
"Wha . . . What _is_ that?" Ukyo wondered aloud, echoing everyone's thoughts.   
They soon got their answer. Just before an explosion of light and sound and debris, all seven heard a distinctive yell. "Shi . . . _Shi . . ._ _HOKODAN!"_   
  
  
  
  
Ryoga sat, wrapped in a blanket, just inside one of the tents. He was sniffling. Akane, feeling rather sorry for the nice boy, had made him some soup which he had _tried_ to eat, but the spoon had got stuck in the gunk that she had given him. So now Akane was examining the bowl and its contents, muttering aloud, "Where did I go wrong? What went wrong here?"   
So Kasumi, ever the motherly soul, took over Ryoga's nursing. "How are you feeling, Ryoga? Perhaps you should get some rest. Whatever did you do to get so sick? I've never seen you with a cold before."   
Ryoga sniffled again, sounding quite pitiful. "I wad oud ind dhe rwain."   
Kasumi nodded sympathetically. "Well, you just get some sleep, alright? I'm sure you'll feel better in the morning."   
Ryoga lifted his head. "Waid a midute. Where are all you people goind? All togedder like dhis?"   
Kasumi smiled cheerfully. "We're going to find Ranma, who said something about finding a cure for his girl/boy curse."   
Ryoga's eyes lit up a little. "Can I come alond?" _A cure for the curse . . . too good to be true! But even if it's not true, it's a good excuse to be with Akane._   
Kasumi tilted her head, puzzled. "Why should you want to come along, Ryoga? Surely you're not worried about Ranma."   
Nabiki popped her head inside the tent before Ryoga could respond, her eyes sly. "Oh," she said flippantly. "I'm sure Ryoga has his reasons. Don't you, R-chan?" She flashed him what could only be called a smirk, and then left the tent again. Ryoga grinned nervously-- that was cutting just a little bit close to his ulterior motive for his comfort.   
Kasumi smiled at him. "Well, I'm sure no one will mind. But get some sleep, you look just exhausted." She stood up gracefully and slipped out, letting fall the tent flap behind her.   
Ryoga tossed and turned for a long time, unable to get himself comfortable. Finally, he just lay on his back and listened to the sounds of the people outside near the fire. He did a bit of fantasizing about Akane, but for some reason, Akane had long hair again. _I think I liked her better with long hair_, he mused, staring up at the ceiling. After a while, his eyes closed and his breathing slowed into the regular rhythm of someone asleep.   
  
  
  
  
Ukyo glanced back at the darkened tent occupied by Ryoga for about the fiftieth time that night. She felt awful for him; after all, although the nice boy hadn't said a word, it _was_ Ukyo's fault that he was so sick, for sending him out in the rain in the middle of the night like that. Kasumi caught her glancing backwards and slipped up to the girl. "If you want to wish him to get well, why don't you go in and talk to him for a while?"   
Ukyo blinked, and then nodded. "Alright. I can apologize." She got up and slipped away from the rest of the camp without anyone noticing, and went through the doorway of the tent, letting the flap fall shut behind her. "Hey . . . Ryoga? You awake?"   
There was no answer. Ryoga was on his back, the cold compress Kasumi had given him having slid off onto the pillow. He didn't _look_ too sick, beyond a slightly runny nose. But maybe Ryoga wasn't used to having a cold.   
Ukyo cleared her throat and tried again. "Um, hello? Ryoga? Are you sleeping?" There was still no answer, so Ukyo decided that he must have indeed fallen asleep. Even so, she continued talking. Even if he couldn't hear her, it made her feel better in a strange way. "Well, I just wanted to say, well, sorry. Yeah. For making you go out in the rain like that. Well, um, I guess that's it . . ." Ukyo started to leave, but glanced behind her. She stayed that way for a while, debating something in her mind, and finally reached out, picked up the compress, and replaced it on his forehead. "Um, yeah. Bye now." And she darted out of the tent as if she had a herd of wild horses behind her.   
Ryoga watched her leave through lowered eyelashes, his thoughts in a turmoil.   
  
  
  


* * *

_The Eye of the Beholder_, by Tori-chan: email me at saezuru@hotmail.com 


	4. 

* * *

DISCLAIMER: All characters except for Nayami, who is introduced in later chapters, do not belong to me. *ponders Ryoga's fangs wistfully* Unfortunately. C&C always welcome, feel free to email me at saezuru@hotmail.com if you've got any comments. Thanks for reading!

* * *

  
  
  


The Eye of the Beholder   
Chapter 4 

  
  
  
  
  
As he walked quietly through the echoing and empty passages, Ranma became more and more uneasy. Why hadn't he found anything yet? He was fairly sure that he'd been walking for over half an hour, and hadn't seen nor heard anything to tell him that he was taking the correct passages, much less that he was in the right cave. All he was acting on was what something deep down was telling him, and he wasn't used to that. Ranma shivered, partly from the chill of the caves and partly from anticipation. He found his mind wandering, and he began to think of his recent life at the dojo. Ranma _almost_ hoped that he wouldn't find a cure here, so that he could just hurry and return home.   
_When did I start to think of the dojo as home? _Ranma wondered, almost surprised at himself. _I've never really had a home for very long before. Does that mean we'll be leaving the dojo soon?_ His throat closed at the thought. Sure, Nerima was weird, and there were all sorts of people that wanted him or wanted him dead, but it was still home now. He sighed, drooping a little. He was getting soft; perhaps he should leave on a long training trip when this whole thing was over with. Distance himself from those back in Nerima, get a little training done . . . Ranma nodded his head, steeling himself. Yes, a training trip. If he could get away without his father, the trip would give him time to get used to being solitary again.   
And give him time away from Akane.   
The thought was insistent, and no matter hard Ranma tried to ignore it, the fact was still there. He was becoming too close to her; depending too much on her, depending on the fact that she was there. And she _was_ always there; especially when he least expected it. He needed her there too much for his own good. Or for hers. Ranma hated it, but it was true. He needed to get away before something very wrong happened, and Akane got hurt.   
Just then, Ranma noticed a change in the lighting of the cave. Before, he had been depending on the small pool of light cast by the traveling lantern he had brought, but now the whole passage seemed brighter. Curious, he continued until he reached a fork in the passage. One of the passages was dark and the other was obviously where the light was coming from; it was almost light enough to be the light of day. Unable to retrain his curiosity long enough to get ready for any enemies that may have been waiting for him, he hurried into the lighted corridor. It led to a large cavern, with spherical lights on the ceiling causing the brightness. The floor of the cave was covered with a kind of moss, and it muffled Ranma's footsteps so that he couldn't hear anything but the pounding of his heart. The walls of the cavern were lined with straight, perfectly formed tree-like organisms, and Ranma could almost see a small animal or two dart into their shelter at his approach. The trees continued throughout the entire grotto, just thinner than along the walls. From where he was standing, Ranma could see that there was a slightly darker green section of the moss leading in a arrow-straight line away from him. His eyes followed the path forward, and it turned out to lead to another tree-like plant, but this one was sprawling and twisted, but with a strange kind of beauty to its imperfection.   
On it sat-- Ranma's jaw dropped; he couldn't help it. On the chair sat the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. She seemed to be about nineteen or twenty years old. Her hair, long and raven black, was half pulled back into a loose bun, twined with woodland flowers and vines, and she was dressed in a long, draping white dress, tied around her waist and over her shoulders with a thin, green vine. Her soft, luminous brown eyes caught his and he could only stare at her, not wanting to say anything to startle her.   
She smiled at him, her lips curving in a soft arc. Opening her mouth, she said, "Come, Ranma. I've been waiting for you, waiting for you for so long. Come to me." Her voice was liquid smooth, and lyrical. She lifted one smooth, pale hand towards him in entreaty.   
Ranma's feet began to move, without his knowing. Before he knew it, he had almost reached her. His last rational thought before rational thought dissipated into nothing was, _Wow . . . She looks a lot like Aka . . . Ak . . . A . . ._   
"Ranma, do you love me?" The woman was still holding out her hand to him.   
Ranma's mouth, still open, moved a couple times before he said quietly in a voice that would have surprised him, had he been thinking clearly, "Ye-es. Yes, I do." And with that, he reached out and took the hand she extended.   
  
  
  
  
"Rain. I _hate_ rain. Why does it always have to be rain?" Ukyo brushed her sodden locks aside, out of her eyes, and looked around at the rest of the group, who ignored her complaint. They had been trudging through this rain for a good half a day. It wouldn't have been that bad if they were out in the open, but they weren't. They were under trees, which meant that one minute they'd think the rain was stopping, because they were under a particularly thickly leaved branch, but the next minute a whole bucket-load of water would slosh down, completely drenching everyone.   
Well, except Akane and Ryoga. Fang-boy, who'd recovered from his head cold, had his ever-present umbrella with him and when he had heard the first raindrops hitting the leaves, he had it up so fast that the others could only blink at him. Now he was using it as best he could to keep Akane and himself dry, and succeeding fairly well. Ukyo scowled at them for good measure, but they weren't looking at her so it didn't really matter. Shampoo, of course, was in her cat form, since no one had thought to pack umbrellas-- well, except for Ryoga, but that was different. After several attempts to turn her back into a human during a pause in the rain, only to have her turn back to a cat the moment the rain started up again, they had all given up and just decided that she'd stay a cat until they made camp in the evening. It was a small comfort to Ukyo, at least. No matter how miserable _she_ felt in the cold rain, she could always look down at the violet and white cat and she'd be just bursting with energy again. Shampoo, however, was not amused by this. If Ukyo was any judge of feline faces (which she most likely wasn't), Shampoo was _very _not amused; in fact, she looked downright pissed off by the whole thing, and kept glowering up at the sky, or what she could see of it through the trees, with daggers in her little kitty eyes.   
Ukyo glanced over at Ryoga and Akane again, wistfully this time. _I want an umbrella_, Ukyo thought peevishly. _Why does that jackass have to hold the damn thing over _her? _Right, right, he loves her, or whatnot. _Ukyo sighed and her eyes returned to the path in front of her. She wished, above all, that Ranma were here. Ukyo knew he wouldn't have held an umbrella over Akane; he'd never live it down if he did, not with half the people here trying to marry him, and a couple trying to marry Akane, too. And Shampoo, of course was out; why hold an umbrella over a cat? So, the only one left, other than the Tendo sisters, would be Ukyo. She smiled dreamily, idly squeezing out her dripping hair with one hand. Yes, Ranma would hold that umbrella over her. And then . . . and then . . . they'd have to walk close to each other. And _then,_ Ranma would see how cute Ukyo looked when she was wet, like a lost puppy, almost. And then, and then, and then he'd say, "Hey Ukyo, did I ever tell you that you're really cute . . ."   
"Hey Ukyo?"   
The tentative, masculine voice, so like the one in her fantasy, startled her out of her daydream and Ukyo looked up hopefully. _Ranma?_   
Ryoga cleared his throat, looking down at the ground. "Er, no. Ryoga. Sorry."   
Ukyo turned a little pink in the face. Had she exclaimed that out loud? She made a face, her hopes of having Ranma magically returned to her dashed. "Yeah, what is it?" she asked, a little more testily than she'd meant to, and she was sure that the disappointment that it wasn't Ranma was showing quite plainly in her expression.   
Ryoga winced at her tone of voice. "Well, first off, I was going to tell you that I suggested an early halt for today, and even Shampoo agreed. We're not making much headway in this rain, and you're looking as if you feel _really_ miserable."   
Ukyo breathed a sigh of relief, glancing up towards the unrelenting sky. "Oh, I'm glad of that!" She looked around, and spotted everybody else beginning to set the camp. Kuno was trying unsuccessfully to start a fire with sodden matches and drippy kindling, Kasumi and Akane were discussing dinner for the evening, and the others were setting up the tents.   
Ryoga nodded, a little bit of a smile coming to his face. "Yeah. Funny how it always rains around here." He looked slightly troubled.   
Ukyo grinned and nodded, making a noise of agreement. "You sounded as if there was more. Was there something else you needed to tell me?"   
Ryoga nodded again, his gaze falling back to the leaf-littered forest floor. "There was. Um . . . Well, you see . . . Ukyo . . ."   
Ukyo raised an eyebrow, trying not to crack an amused smile at the boy. Whatever it was he was trying to say was giving him that speaking disorder thing again. Funny, he only started stammering when he was talking to Akane. And he was mad in love with her. Stammering . . . when he's in love . . . _He's stammering now! _Ukyo's heart skipped a beat, and she could feel herself getting breathless as she waited for him to say it.   
"Well . . . it's, well, um." Ryoga took a deep breath, and then said in a rush, "Ijustwantedtosay   
sorryforrunningofflikethattheotherevening!"   
Ukyo blinked. _Oh. So that was what he was trying to do. Apologize_. Ukyo couldn't tell whether the emotion rushing over her was relief or disappointment. It had _seemed_ like he was going to . . . to . . . She mentally gave herself a smack in the face. _C'mon, Ukyo, wake up!_ _Quit getting addled and pay attention to the task at hand! _Ukyo shook her head, and smiled. "Oh, don't worry about it! You fixed the leak, right? That's all that matters."   
Ryoga raised an eyebrow, trying not to grin at her. She looked all flustered for some reason, and Ryoga found that very amusing somehow. Ukyo flustered was not something one saw every day, after all. She only really got like that when Ranma called her cute, or something equally charming. And she was mad in love with _him_. Ryoga's mind suddenly skipped forward a few thought processes. Ukyo . . . only got flustered when speaking with Ranma. Who she's in love with. Ryoga swallowed nervously, watching her even more carefully, not quite knowing whether he wanted her to be flustered or not. "Oh. Okay. Thanks for the okonomiyaki, by the way."   
Ukyo nodded, looking down towards the ground. "Yeah, you're welcome." She paused, something nagging at the back of her mind. "Um, Ryoga . . . I-- I'm really sorry for sending you out in the rain like that. I didn't realize it was _that_ cold out there. I never would have asked you to if I'd known you'd get sick."   
Ryoga swallowed again. "It's no problem at all. I'm perfectly fine now, and if it made you drier, it was worth it."   
Ukyo smiled. "Thanks, Ryo-chan."   
Ryoga grinned back, showing his fangs. "Yeah, you're welcome."   
  
  
  
  
Akane glanced up from the recipe she was reading, and spotted Ukyo and Ryoga talking about something. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, as she watched them. Ukyo looked kind of testy, and Ryoga looked apologetic. Was that girl being mean to poor Ryoga? But then, she noticed Ukyo calm down and Ryoga look a little less embarrassed. _Oh, no, now it's fine. Whatever it was, it was just a little thing._ Akane rested her head on her hand, her elbow on the tree stump she was using for a table. Both of them were now seeming to get a little flustered and nervous. Akane hid a smile, and her eyes went back to the recipe. "Well, well, well . . . Ukyo and Ryoga, hmm? It's about _time_ that nice guy got a crush on someone."   
She had just looked back down at her book when something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. She turned, and saw Nabiki leaning on her head on her elbow, watching Ukyo and Ryoga. She had no discernable expression on her face, but she never did, so that wasn't unusual. But she didn't usually spend whole chunks of time watching people, not without some reason. Akane frowned, and went back to her cookbook with an uneasy feeling in the back of her mind.   
  
  
  
  
The next morning, the group held a council of war, to plan out how they would approach the mountain. Kuno was all for rushing the place at once, rescuing the pig-tailed girl, and rushing back out again. The others exchanged knowing glances. Nabiki, ever the sympathetic one, patted him on the arm. "Hey, Kuno-baby, we'll get your pig-tailed girl outta there in no time. But meanwhile, I have a stunning picture of her just after she finished a workout . . ."   
Kuno sighed. "How much, Nabiki Tendo?"   
Nabiki pretended to think about it for a few moments, and then said, "150 yen. Since I'm feeling generous."   
Kuno scowled at her, but pulled out a slightly crumpled handful of bills and held them out to her. "Here."   
Nabiki smiled her triumph and handed him the picture, making the bills disappear somewhere about her person. Then she looked around, and met the others' glances, each particular to their characters. Kasumi was frowning ever-so-slightly, Dr. Tofu was staring at Nabiki with a disapproving expression, Akane was glaring at Nabiki, and clenching her fists threateningly. Ukyo was blinking in confusion, Shampoo had her arms crossed over her chest, watching Nabiki, and Ryoga kept glancing after Kuno with an almost sympathetic expression on his face. Nabiki shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "_What_ are you all looking at?"   
As one, the rest sighed, and continued the discussion. Dr. Tofu cleared his throat, and volunteered, "Perhaps we should just approach the mountain in the open. I think that it won't matter how we go in-- we'll be spotted anyway."   
Ukyo shook her head, twisting a strand of hair through her fingers. "But . . . we can't just stroll in there. It'd be like saying, 'Hey, here we are, come get us all!' It just doesn't seem natural."   
Ryoga nodded his head in agreement. "Yeah, and if we try to go in quietly, we might just get the slightest advantage of surprise over whatever's up there. It can't _hurt_, can it?"   
Dr. Tofu mulled that over for a few moments, while Akane spoke up. "It could slow us down, though. It always takes longer to move quietly than to move overtly. If we don't try to skulk about, we'd get there quicker."   
Ukyo argued back. "But if we get caught by something because we're marching around in the open, we won't reach him at all!"   
Shampoo stood up. "Shampoo can go quietly _and_ quickly. Why give up one? Unless you all clumsy."   
Ukyo stood up as well, clenching her fists. "I am _not_ clumsy! I'm cautious!"   
Akane felt compelled to add her say. "Ukyo may be clumsy, but I'm not! I just want to get all this over with so I can go back home!"   
Shampoo made a face, sticking out her tongue. "Is too clumsy!"   
Ukyo's eyes were snapping. "Am _not!_" She pulled her spatula off her back and swung it in the Amazon's direction.   
Shampoo leaped out of the way, only to have to deal with Akane. She ducked a punch from the girl, and lashed out with a foot.   
Ryoga stood up, loosening his umbrella and taking a threatening step towards Shampoo. "Don't you _dare_ try to hurt Akane, you . . . you . . . cat-girl!"   
"Akane, the beautiful maiden more lovely than Diana the huntress herself!" _*glomp*_   
Akane thwacked Kuno over the head absent-mindedly and glared at Ukyo. "Leave Shampoo alone! _I_ get to fight her!"   
Ukyo glared right back. "Oh, really? As if _you_ could take her?!"   
Dr. Tofu stood up, rather suddenly. "Stop it, all of you!" he said, loud enough to startle everyone into an uneasy silence. "Stop acting like little children and pay attention. I've changed my mind. We're going to try to go as quietly as we can, but we'll move as quickly as we can, too." He sat back down, ignoring the surprised looks of the group.   
Akane sighed and sat down again, nodding. "Yeah, okay. Whatever."   
Ryoga stopped waving his umbrella at Shampoo, glanced at Akane, and nodded as well. "Sounds fine to me."   
Ukyo reluctantly replaced her spatula. "Fine."   
Shampoo pulled one more face at Ukyo and Akane, and sank back down onto the fallen tree she had been sitting on, without saying anything.   
Dr. Tofu glanced around to make sure nobody objected. His gaze rested on Shampoo for an oddly long period of time, but before anyone noticed, he spoke again. "But there's another thing I'd like to bring up. This mountain is a very dangerous place-- people might get hurt. I think that half of us should remain here and wait for the others to return, and get help if you don't come back out."   
Akane set her jaw. "I'm going! No one's gonna stop me, so don't try!"   
Ryoga looked up and said in a quiet but firm voice, "I'm coming. To protect Ak-- to help fight with the others who are going." _And to find that cure Ranma had mentioned!_   
"Shampoo is going too!" Shampoo stood up and stubbornly placed her hands on her hips to prove her point.   
Ukyo snorted and stood up as well. "And you all know you're not going to stop me from going and finding Ranchan, wherever he is."   
Dr. Tofu blinked and nodded, looking almost oddly relieved. "Very well-- Kasumi and Nabiki, along with Tatewaki-kun and I will stay here to wait for you. I've told you all I know about the mountain; you'll have no use for me there anymore beyond another pair of able hands."   
Kuno lifted his head, and voiced his objection. "But I must go and rescue the pig-tailed one!"   
Nabiki sighed and shook her head. "Kuno, Kuno, Kuno. Weren't you listening? Ranma's the one in the mountain. The pig-tailed girl is out here, lost in the forest, so we need to wait for her out here while the others go find Ranma."   
Kuno meditated on that for a few moments, and then nodded decisively. "You are most correct, Nabiki Tendo."   
Ukyo, curious, asked Kuno in an aside, "Didn't you ever ask what your mysterious 'pig-tailed girl's' _name_ was? All you ever call her is pig-tailed girl. And occasionally the pig-tailed goddess. And the pig-tailed kettle girl, once or twice . . .."   
Kuno shook his head, a noble expression on his face. "Nay, for she is as beautiful to me as the pig-tailed girl as she would be with another name. If she sees fit to tell me who she is, she will. A rose, by any other name, would smell as sweet."   
Ukyo rolled her eyes towards the heavens, and shrugged. "Yeah, whatever."   
Ryoga understood exactly what Ukyo meant-- and not for the first time, wondered how Kuno could be such an idiot. He shook his head, looking down at the ground. _Even _I'm_ not that stupid; and I admit, I can be pretty blockheaded sometimes._ He looked back up, just in time to catch Nabiki's unflinching gaze on him. Her eyes felt like hot pokers, and yet like a bucket of ice water, all at the same time. He shifted uncomfortably and when he looked back again, she was amiably chattering away with her older sister. Ryoga blinked, wondering if he had just imagined it, and turned away.   
  
  
  
  
Later that evening, they discovered a tiny natural spring that constantly renewed itself, large enough for one person, in a clearing near the camp and decided to make good use of it. Kasumi, Nabiki, Akane, and Shampoo had already had a quick soak in the blissfully hot water, and it was Ukyo's turn now. She stripped, laying her clothes in a neat but unfolded pile, placing her spatula nearby within easy reach in case she needed it. She untied her hair ribbon, and bound it up again so that her long, thick hair was in a pile on top of her head, up out of the water's range. Then she eased herself into the water, wincing as the heat touched bruises and scrapes, but ultimately relaxing. She felt the day's tension drift away with the accumulated dirt and grime of the journey, and sighed happily. Yes, this was definitely heaven, right here. Softly, Ukyo began to hum, and spun a web of daydreams about finding Ranma.   
  
  
  
  
Ryoga was sitting on an old log, some distance from his tent, carefully mending up a tear in one of his shirts. He didn't remember where he'd learned to sew; it must have been somewhere in his wanderings. It was a good skill to have, since he was never in one place long enough to have someone else do it for him, and he was always tearing his clothes on something or other. While his body could take whatever beatings the world had in store, his clothing wasn't quite so fortunate. He realized his mind was wandering, but it didn't really matter. He didn't really have anything to think about, so why go to all the trouble? The clearing was getting darker and darker by the second, and all the fire back at the camp was doing was throwing weird shadows into the surrounding trees and undergrowth. Ryoga wasn't afraid of the shadows, just . . . a little uneasy. Even after years of wandering alone, he still hated the firelit darkness. Something about it triggered something in his mind that made him shrink away. He hurried to finish his work and get back to the camp, setting the last few stitches in a haphazard manner. He stood up, folding the shirt as he did so, and turned to return to his tent. He stopped short, frozen to his spot, because a shadowy figure was blocking his way, leaning against a tree.   
"Ryoga." It wasn't really a question, more like a statement of fact, and it was said in a voice as smooth as silk and slippery as a stick of butter.   
Ryoga felt his heart speeding up-- he could hear the blood roaring in his ears as he prepared himself to fight if need be. "What do you want?" he asked loudly, hoping his voice would carry back to the camp and warn Akane of this new danger. _Is this one of the trials that Dr. Tofu was talking about? I didn't think we were close enough . . . _The figure seemed to unfold, arms and legs becoming discernable. Ryoga noticed that it was carrying something in its hand that looked uncomfortably like a kind of club, and backed away. "H-Hey! Who are you? What are you trying to do?"   
The figure didn't respond, only took a slow but steady step forward. Ryoga stood his ground, despite the pounding of his heart, and tried to calculate his opponent's next move, so he could be ready. He saw the figure in shadow stop its implacable advance, raise its arm with the club towards Ryoga's head, and­ turn on the flashlight.   
Nabiki's unruffled countenance peered back at him through the eerie light, the angle of the flashlight turning her face into a myriad of strange shadows. At first he was relieved, but as he realized who was standing in front of him, he wasn't so sure that he wouldn't have been better off facing some sort of monster. Instead, he had to face a monster of a different sort­ after all, he'd been on the wrong end of Nabiki's deals before. After a few moments, Ryoga judged himself able to speak again, and asked, "Well, what is it? What were you trying to do?"   
Nabiki's lips curved into a slow smile. "Hold your horses, pig-boy. By the way, you really should have seen your face just then. I think I'll treasure it forever."   
Ryoga was slightly embarrassed, and felt that he had to defend himself. "Well, we ll need to be prepared, for when the trials come." He paused while something nagged at the corner of his mind, and then her exact words hit him in the brain at ninety miles an hour, like a bullet train. "P-Pig-boy? P-P-P . . . Don't call me that!" His voice rose without him meaning to yell, and he knew that he probably looked a little wild, but he didn't care.   
Nabiki raised an eyebrow, calm as ever. "Oh? Why not? Ranma calls you that all the time. Don't overreact, Ryoga."   
Ryoga blinked, realizing that if Nabiki hadn't meant the nickname as anything or than just that, a harmless insult, he had nearly blown his cover. "Ah . . . Well, um, Ranma just calls me that a lot, and it's annoying." He laughed, a tinny-sounding noise, and he was already rubbing the back of his head with one hand. "I usually end up punching him when he calls me that, after all."   
Nabiki nodded, appearing to be satisfied, and focused a long, concentrated look upon Ryoga. Her gaze was so intense that Ryoga fidgeted underneath it like a naughty elementary school boy with his hand caught on the fire alarm trigger.   
Nervously, Ryoga shifted his weight to the other foot. "So . . . what did you need from me, again?"   
Nabiki leaned against her tree again. "Oh, I was just bored, and wanted someone to talk to." Ryoga didn't quite believe that, but since he couldn't think of any way to call her bluff, he remained quiet. Nabiki spoke up again, "So, tomorrow you all set off on the last day's journey to the peak, hmm? Nervous?"   
Ryoga tilted his head to one side, quizzically. "No, not really . . . it's the girls who are nervous, since all of them want to be the first one to find Ranma. It's like some big competition to them."   
Nabiki made a rude noise, her expression sardonic. "Everything is some big competition between those three." Suddenly, Nabiki stopped leaning against the tree and took a step forwards, so that her face was close to Ryoga's. "Akane had better be the one to find Ranma, pig-boy. After all," and she leaned forward to whisper in his ear, the arm air from her breath tickling his skin, "You wouldn't want my little sister to be cross with her P-chan when she finds out who he _really _is, now would you?"   
Ryoga blinked, staring over her shoulder for what felt like an eternity. The roaring in his ears made it impossible for him to hear anything else, or even think clearly. She could do anything with her knowledge; for all he knew, she could have already told his secret to anybody she chose. He took a few stumbling steps backward, and then turned blindly and ran, as fast as his legs would carry him away from Nabiki Tendo.   
After a few minutes he stopped, pressing his forehead against the cool, rough bark of a tree to catch his breath. After a while, his thoughts stopped running around in circles and he could think clearly again. It wouldn't have been so bad if Nabiki hadn't done it in such a truly frightening way. Ryoga realized that he should get back to camp and try to act as if nothing was wrong­ After all, Nabiki wouldn't have told Akane yet, not if she wanted Ryoga to help Akane find Ranma. So he began to find his way back towards the campsite, when he realized that he had no idea where it was. He turned around, frowning. "Where the _hell_ am I? I could have sworn my tent was this way." He turned around again, panic beginning to rise. If he wandered off now, he'd _never_ reach the mountain, and never find the cure that Ranma had been talking about! He leaned against the tree again, closing his eyes, and tried to think of the way he had come, but to no avail. Although he hadn't come far, the forest was thick and all sight and sound of the camp had been wiped out by the dense foliage. Ryoga straightened again. "Well, nothing for it but to guess and hope I go the right way. I might try marking the trees so I don't wander around in circles." And so he began to walk, every so often kicking at a nearby tree, causing slight dents in the bark to mark his trail and releasing his frustration at the same time.   
After a while, he began to hear something-- it sounded for a while like a low buzzing noise, or a bird, perhaps, but as he drew nearer it began to sound more like someone humming. _Ah, that'd be Kasumi, cleaning up the dishes after dinner_, Ryoga thought as relief came pouring over him. He'd actually managed to find his way towards the camp! He began to move more quietly, hoping that no one would notice him returning so they wouldn't know that he'd wandered off again. The humming had stopped, and soon, he saw a clearing ahead, and pushed his way into it. And blinked-- this _wasn't_ the camp . . . This was the hot spring they'd found earlier, and it looked like no one was using it! _This is the perfect way to relax me, and take my mind off of . . . off of . . . oh, well, never mind that. _As he moved towards it, he began pulling off his clothes, depositing them at random intervals as he made his way towards the pool. Finally he had stripped off everything except his bandanna, which he left on.   
  
  
  
  
Ukyo soaked in the hot spring for a good fifteen minutes with only her eyes and nose just above the water, low enough that anyone watching would think there wasn't anyone in there at all. Eventually, she reluctantly prodded her weary muscles into motion, and she began washing her clothes in the water. When she finished, she laid them out on the rocks to dry. She stayed in the water for a few moments more, and then sighed and raised herself up and out of the spring. She turned back towards the camp, and froze.   
Ryoga stared at her, just after parting the bushes in front of him and stepping through.   
Ukyo stared right back, having frozen just as she stepped out of the water.   
". . ." said Ryoga.   
Ukyo blinked once. Then she blinked again, to make sure that she wasn't hallucinating or anything. Her mouth moved, and her face began to turn a cute pinkish color, though try as she might she couldn't get herself to move enough in order to look away.   
". . . gaaah . . . !" said Ryoga finally, clamping a hand to his nose before the blood could trickle out.   
Ukyo then regained control of her body, bent down, and scooped up her spatula in one fluid movement. "You . . . you . . . you _HENTAI!"_ _*claaaaaaaaang*_   
Under the tremendous force of the blow, even Ryoga wobbled a bit. But he quickly found his balance again, and scrambled into his pair of pants. Ukyo grabbed the nearest item of clothing, Ryoga's shirt, and flung it over her head. Then she went in for another blow. But Ryoga's reflexes were faster than her enraged ones, and he caught her wrist as it descended upon him, spatula in hand. Ryoga's own temper was rising; after all, she hadn't exactly been trying not to see him, either. "Look, I was _not_ trying to . . . to spy on you or anything!"   
Ukyo struggled, trying to get her wrist out of Ryoga's iron grasp. "Let me go!"   
Ryoga watched her intently. "You aren't going to hit me any more, right?"   
Ukyo's eyes narrowed. "Just let me go!"   
Ryoga let go of her wrist, and she stepped backwards a pace. Ryoga tried again, since she still looked quite pissed off. "I really wasn't trying anything. I just got lost, and, and . . ."   
Ukyo clenched her teeth, "Oh, suuure, you got lost! That's your excuse for everything! I'm sure you 'got lost' after fixing the roof, so you couldn't come in and say goodbye properly, right? And you just happened to 'get lost' this morning while the rest of us had to work and break camp, right? Can't you think of anything better than that?"   
Ryoga's face heated in embarrassment and anger. "So what if my sense of direction isn't too great? It's not my fault! At least I'm not a girl who dresses like a boy, and thinks that'll make some guy fall madly in love with her, even though he never looks at her except to get food!"   
Ukyo's jaw dropped, and her fingers twitched around the handle of the spatula. "Oh _yeah_? Well maybe so, but at least I can talk to Ranchan without stuttering and stammering like the village idiot! _I,_ at least, can tell him my true feelings for him!"   
Ryoga didn't even flinch; his eyes, though, registered Ukyo's blow in a way that almost made her regret saying it. "Yeah, and what good did that do? That didn't change the fact that he doesn't love you! I at least still have a chance with Akane!"   
Ukyo didn't reply. She just stared up him, the spatula sliding from nerveless fingers. The look on her face made Ryoga rethink what he'd said to her, his anger cooling off a little. _Maybe that was hitting a little too harshly . . ._ Just before he gathered the courage and dignity to attempt an apology, Ukyo's eyes suddenly hardened. Before Ryoga knew what was happening, she reached back and then slapped him, hard, across the face. Then she brushed past him, hurrying back towards the campsite.   
Logically Ryoga, whose strength was well known throughout many places, shouldn't have been able to feel that slap as anything more than a brush against his skin. But despite logic, the place on his cheek felt numb at first, and then began to sting and throb painfully. He took a few steps after her, and called out, "Hey, Ukyo, wait! I need someone to take me back to camp, or I'll get lost!"   
Ukyo was far enough in the bushes that Ryoga could no longer see her, but her heard her harsh reply, hoarse from yelling so much. "Find your own damned way back to the camp!"   
  
  
  
  
Ukyo was about to storm back into the campsite, when she realized that she was still wearing nothing except Ryoga's shirt. It went down to mid-thigh; it wasn't that it was revealing or immodest. But if she came in, naked except for _Ryoga's_ clothing . . . well, she'd never be able to live it down. _Shit,_ she thought vaguely. _What am I going to do? Maybe Ryoga's wandered off again by now, and I can go back and get my clothes . . ._ She waited for a few more moments, to make sure that he was good and gone by the time she got back to the spring. She found herself thinking that perhaps she'd overreacted-- after all, she _had_ seen just as much of him as he had of her. And she'd said some pretty awful things to him. Ukyo sighed and turned to go back to the pool to collect her things, and almost ran into Ryoga. She stifled an involuntary gasp of surprise, but the only sign of startlement that he showed was to blink. He took a step backwards, cautiously, and held out a small bundle to her. Without saying anything, he brushed past her and into the camp, heading straight for his tent.   
Ukyo watched him go with mixed emotions. _I've never seen him like this. I've seen him depressed, and excited, and battle-angry, but never hurt-angry like this. I wish I hadn't . . ._ She just then remembered the bundle he had shoved at her before he left. She looked down at it, and it unrolled a little in her hands. Ukyo's throat closed up briefly; he had brought her her clothes. She put them on, though they were still damp from being washed, and then entered the camp quietly, hoping that no one saw her. It didn't seem that anyone did, and she slipped over near Ryoga's tent, and hung the shirt on the peg outside. She started to leave again, and then paused, glancing back at the entryway to the tent. _He really did look upset . . . perhaps I should apologize._ She cleared her throat, and was about to call out to announce her presence--   
"Spatula girl? Where you go? Shampoo want sleep now! Is late!" Shampoo's voice carried across the dark campsite, mingling with the other nighttime sounds of the forest.   
Ukyo sighed, took another glance back at the tent flap, and then turned away to head back towards the tent she shared with Shampoo.   
  
  
  
  
Ryoga lay in his bed, after watching Ukyo's silhouette leave the door of his tent. He could tell it was her, standing against the flickering firelight; he'd recognize the shape of that spatula anywhere. For a brief, hope-filled moment, it had seemed like she was going to come in. If she had, then Ryoga would have been able to apologize to her. He hated having her mad at him, and hated being mad at her in return. It left him with a cold, heavy lump in the pit of his stomach that kept him from sleeping-- as it was right now. Besides Ranma, Ukyo was probably one of the closest things he had to a friend right now. That friendship, which had developed only in a matter of days, gave Ryoga something to depend upon, something he could count on. But recently . . . He couldn't tell if it was because tempers were short, or that she was worried about Ranma, or what, but she seemed edgy and easy to set off, not like usual at all.   
_Friends . . ._ Ryoga thought about that for some time. After a while, it had gotten quite easy to think of Ukyo as just that: a friend. She didn't act like any of the girls he knew, not even Akane, so it was simple to not think of her as one; so, Ryoga didn't get nervous around her. But tonight he'd gotten a rude awakening, a reminder that Ukyo was very obviously female. Just thinking about it made Ryoga's face start to heat up again in a flush. _Not that she isn't pretty, or looks like a guy, or anything,_ Ryoga thought, _but it just seems almost unnatural to think of Ukyo like that. It's like . . . it's like she's something different altogether, and no one should have the right to look at her._ Ryoga began to get angry at himself for taking advantage of her, before he shook himself to his senses. _Well, she saw just as much of me as I saw of her, if not more-- there was still that bit of her still hidden by the rocks when she stood up-- so she should apologize first._ Ryoga snorted, the injured pride returning, as he pushed thoughts of nobility and compassion from his head. _Dumb girl,_ he thought stubbornly, as he rolled over to try and get comfortable enough to fall asleep. _It's not as if she'w sweet, or kind, or beautiful like Akane. After all, she keeps trying to _hit_ me for goodness' sake! _Despite the relative comfort of his bedroll, it took him longer than he would have admitted to finally succumb to sleep and when he finally did drop off into slumber, his dreams were filled with his long-haired Akane.   
  
  
  
  
Akane surveyed the scene, dismayed. This was not going at _all_ the way it was supposed to be going. Ryoga was calmly re-packing his bags for the trip on one side of the camp, and Ukyo was on the opposite side of camp, filing her spatula to get rid of the various nicks and dents in it. That wasn't the bad part-- No, the bad part was that neither of them had given each other so much as a glance the entire morning. Once their eyes had met, when Ukyo was dishing out breakfast to everyone, and Akane had caught her breath hopefully. The very next instant, however, Ukyo's eyes had hardened, Ryoga had sniffed in a stubborn fashion, and turned away to eat his breakfast as far away from the cooking stove as possible. Akane sighed, watching them with a worried expression on her face. _And things seemed to have been going just fine, two nights ago . . ._ She shook her head, grimly, her resolve strengthening. It was time things started going right, for a change. It was time she took matters into her _own_ hands.   
  
  
  
  
Ukyo gritted her teeth, leaning into the heavy file for her spatula. That stupid fang-boy just _had_ to have a hard head, so that she'd have to spend this time fixing her spatula instead of relaxing, or sleeping late, or talking to Dr. Tofu. That man was really amazing to talk to; he knew the most interesting things, and could keep Ukyo fascinated for hours. Ryoga liked talking to him too, and sometimes he'd-- Ukyo shoved the thought away and shook her head to clear it. That _jackass_ wouldn't even leave her _thoughts_ alone! She looked over her shoulder and glared across the camp at him, for good measure. He was taking his tent down, and Ukyo watched him for a few moments, while her unwarranted anger cooled off, and although she didn't notice it, her expression turned from one of hostility to one of almost wistful sadness. _With my temper,_ came the soft wisp of thought in her mind,_ I might have lost myself a friend last night._   
  
  
  
  
Ryoga, although outwardly calm while he packed his bags, was a turmoil inside. At breakfast this morning, Ukyo had dished up his plate for him, as she had for the rest of the camp, and met his eyes briefly. But before Ryoga could react, her eyes had turned cold and Ryoga could do nothing but try to save his dignity, sniff, and stalk off to eat in his breakfast before she could whack him over the head with her spatula which, although he didn't see it then, he was sure was hiding somewhere about her and within easy reach. Ryoga finished packing everything, but had a gap in the top of the bag. He frowned; he was fairly sure he'd packed everything. After racking his brains and looking around, he finally remembered the final events of the previous evening; Ukyo still had one of his shirts. Ryoga began to turn a little red again, as he realized that a dripping wet, athletically fit, _naked_ girl had been wearing _his_ shirt. Swallowing, he decided to just not ask her what she'd done with it. He didn't think he'd be able to wear it ever again, not without remember that horrible night.   
Ryoga willed the flush on his cheeks to die down, and turned to take down and pack up his tent-- and saw the shirt, hanging neatly outside the tent-flap. Grimacing slightly, he reached out to take it with a remarkably steady hand, folded it up, and stuffed it inside his pack. Mechanically, he began to take down the tent. But although he seemed busy, his mind wasn't on his work at all. _So _that's_ what she was doing outside my tent last night; returning my shirt. And here _I_ thought she was going to apologize, too._ Ryoga felt like kicking something, hard, and had to settle for clenching his fists. When he opened them after a good thirty seconds, he saw that there were four little crescent-moon shapes on each hand where his nails had dug into his palms. He expelled the breath he'd been holding in a long, drawn-out sigh, and glared across the camp at Ukyo, only to find her looking back at him. Ryoga blinked-- that couldn't be right; she didn't look ticked off, she looked . . . almost _sad_. He felt his unwarranted anger dissipate like the smoke of last night's campfire. This time, her eyes didn't get all hard like they had this morning, and she simply looked away and looked back down at her spatula. Ryoga, brows furrowed, watched her for a moment while she worked, before going back to packing up his tent.   
  
  
  
  
Ukyo let out the breath she'd been holding as she felt Ryoga's gaze finally leave her. It was getting harder and harder to deal with this; the whole thing was just getting to the point where _thinking_ about trying to apologize to him made her feel sick to her stomach. The more she delayed, the worse it was going to get. Ukyo closed her eyes, and forced herself to _think_. Ryoga was probably feeling just as bad as she was, after all; he was a nice enough guy, surely he felt a _little_ guilty about walking in on her. It was just that . . . well, the way he had completely ignored her earlier, when she had given him his breakfast, it just made her want to pound some sense into that rock-solid head of his._ Hello, you jackass, wake up and apologize for oggling me like that!_ Sometimes men could be such idiots. But then the very next instant after thinking about how much he should be groveling at her feet, begging for forgiveness, a feeling of wretchedness would come over her for not apologizing to _him_ for her behavior.   
Ukyo lay down her spatula and file, and curled up, hugging her knees to her chest, as an almost tangible feeling of depression set in on her. _God, I want Ranchan back! He'd listen to me, be able to set things right again! He'd hold that umbrella over me, wouldn't walk in on me while I was bathing. He'd come back inside after fixing that roof to say goodnight, even if his curse got activated because of the rain. Please . . . Ranma, come back to me! _Ukyo closed her eyes again on the tears that threatened to spill, and put her face into her knees. She stayed that way for a while, until the heavy, unbearable feeling of depression passed. Then, once her thoughts weren't running around in circles like so many trapped mice, came the rationalizing _Yes, but Ranma would never have apologized to me if he _did_ leave without saying goodbye. And he would never have picked up my clothes for me at the hot spring pool if he _had_ walked in on me. And he _certainly_ would never have held the umbrella over me if it meant 'fessing some sort of true feelings. _She made a frustrated noise, deep in her throat, and then lifted her head off her knees as an idea came over her. _I _have_ to get to Ranma before Akane and Shampoo, when we find him. I _have_ to! He has to see that I love him more than they do, that he belongs with me! _She stood up, briskly, and began to walk back and forth, the wheels in her head almost audibly turning. It was one against two; she'd have to beat both Akane _and_ Shampoo, at once, in order to reach him first. She wouldn't be able to do it by herself. And those two made up two of the three people available to help, so that only left--   
Ukyo closed her eyes, hardened her resolve, and then opened them again, with a smile on her lips. She quickly made her way across the campsite, towards the only single tent in the camp. "Ryoga," she called as she neared, "I have a proposition to make . . ."   
  
  
  
  
Ryoga rubbed the back of his head with one hand, uncertainly. "Well, I don't know, Ukyo. I don't really want to hurt Akane at all."   
Ukyo smiled, patting him on the arm reassuringly. "Oh, yeah, don't worry. All you have to do is keep her and Shampoo from reaching Ranchan when we find him. And just think-- when I reach him first, _you'll_ be there to comfort Akane."   
Ryoga's face took on a look of consternation. "But . . . but I don't want to cause Akane any kind of pain! But then, if she reaches Ranma first, I'll have no chance . . . but if I have to hold her back, she'll hate me . . ." Ryoga closed his eyes, an obvious battle of morality going on in his head.   
Ukyo tilted her head to one side, trying to sound as comforting and matter-of-fact as possible. "Look, you're infinitely better for her than that Ranma is, right?"   
Ryoga nodded, cautiously. ". . . hai . . ."   
Ukyo pressed onwards. "So this will eventually be for her own good, right?"   
Ryoga nodded again, cautiously. ". . . hai . . ."   
Ukyo smiled triumphantly. "So there's no problem! No pain, no gain, I always say. This little drawback will be good for her. She'll thank you in the end, after all. Right, honey?" Her eyes bore into him.   
Ryoga fidgeted slightly, avoiding her gaze. " . . . Yeah, guess so." he said, reluctantly.   
Ukyo beamed. "Yatt_a_! I knew I could count on you, Ryo-chan!"   
Ryoga frowned, suspiciously. "Why're you being so nice all of a sudden?"   
Ukyo blinked her eyes, innocently. "What do you mean, Ryo-chan?" She pretended to think about it for a moment, and then said, "Oh, are you talking about that little mishap at the hot spring last night?" She waved a hand negligently. "That's all in the past, sugar. Forget about it." She turned away to walk back towards her tent. "Seeya in a little bit, when we leave."   
Ryoga watched her go, feeling a little like someone had opened up his skull, let loose a tornado inside it, put his head back together, and then pounded him a couple times for kicks. He had a vague sense that he'd just let himself get duped, but he couldn't really see anything he could do about it, so he let it lie. Ryoga knew that he wasn't the most intelligent of people, and that it was easier just to let some things go. Out of habit, his hand slid up the the back of his head, in a puzzled fashion. So now not only did he have to obey Nabiki and help Akane be the one to find Ranma first, but he _also_ had to help _Ukyo_ be the first one to find Ranma. He sighed and leaned down to pick up his pack. "This is all giving me a headache."   
  
  
  
  
"Bye-bye!" Kasumi called cheerfully, just as she would if she were sending Ranma and Akane off to school. "I hope you all have a good time!" The four of them, Akane, Shampoo, Ukyo, and Ryoga, were finally ready to leave, and everyone else was seeing them off. Akane was in the lead, and ignored the rest of the party, walking quickly. Ryoga was right behind her, quite aware of the stern, icy cold look Nabiki was fixing on the back of his head. Ukyo was close behind the two of them, glancing speculatively at Akane, as if judging her. Shampoo brought up the rear, and glanced back once towards the others.   
"This isn't some sort of pleasure trip, sis," drawled Nabiki, giving her sister an amused glance. Kasumi didn't even notice her younger sister, as was usual.   
Kuno sniffed loudly, "Farewell, Akane Tendo, thou who art lovelier by far than . . ."   
Dr. Tofu sighed, his expression worried. He called out towards the four younger travelers, "Good luck! Be careful, and stay on guard!"   
" . . . and none can challenge my claim to her glorious beauty . . ."   
Shampoo smiled, reassuringly. "You no worry! We be right back, with Ranma, just you see!" And with that, she and the others disappeared around a bend in the trail.   
Dr. Tofu looked after Shampoo, his expression unreadable. "She . . . she looks so much like . . ."   
Nabiki, who was standing in-between Dr. Tofu and Kuno, raised one quizzical eyebrow. "Hmm? Who does Shampoo look like?"   
Dr. Tofu shook himself, glancing at Nabiki out of the corner of his eye. "Ah . . . never mind."He turned back towards the camp-site, walking briskly, followed closely by Kasumi, who was still smiling cheerfully.   
Nabiki looked after him, a mildly curious and puzzled expression on her face. "Odd," she murmured under her breath, and then started to follow her sister.   
" . . . and when you return, you will be so radiant that none will be able to deny your perfection!"   
"Just shut up, Kuno-baby."   
  
  
  


* * *

_The Eye of the Beholder_, by Tori-chan: email me at saezuru@hotmail.com 


	5. Ukyo

* * *

DISCLAIMER: All characters except for Nayami, who is introduced in later chapters, do not belong to me. *ponders Ryoga's fangs wistfully* Unfortunately. C&C always welcome, feel free to email me at saezuru@hotmail.com if you've got any comments.   
NOTE: The first Japanese song lyrics are from 'Sobakasu', which is one of the opening songs to Rurouni Kenshin. The actual song sounds very energetic and happy, though the lyrics are actually quite sad. (Yes, this actually has a sort of symbolic significance, I'm not just rambling.) The next song is the English version of the Sailor Moon opening song, and the song after that is American Pie. The final song, however, is also in Japanese, and it's the first Ranma ½ opening, 'Jajauma ni Sasenaide.' Thanks for reading!

* * *

  
  
  


The Eye of the Beholder   
Chapter 5  
"Ukyo" 

  
  
  
  
  
"I am not!"   
"Is too!"   
"Am _not, _you Chinese, purple-haired, language-impaired, law-obsessed, _ramen_-serving HUSSY!"   
"Yes? Well, you is a dumb, gender-confused, spandex-wearing, name-calling, _flat-chested_ spatula-girl!"   
"_I am not flat-chested!!!" _   
"Yes, you is too too nonexistent in the chest region!"   
"Am not!"   
"Is too!"   
Ryoga sighed, rubbing his forehead to try and get rid of his headache. Three hours, and they hadn't stopped fighting. Twice he'd had to intervene before they started drawing blood. For his efforts, he'd only gotten a colorful bonbori print in his side, and a threat from Ukyo to make _him_ hammer out the resulting dents in her spatula this time. He watched the pair bickering away for a few more moments, and then turned his attention to the path ahead of him. Akane, walking quickly at the head of the column, hadn't said a word since they'd left camp­ she was obviously thinking about something, her expression was so pensive. He'd tried talking to her, once, but he discovered that he was chewing on the handle of his umbrella out of nervousness before he got three yards close to her. _There has to be _some_ way I can talk to her without sounding like a lunatic. There _has_ to be . . ._   
Akane stared at the ground in front of her, shutting out the noises of the argument. As much fun as it would be to join in and take out her frustration on someone, she had other things to occupy her mind. _And besides_, she thought with a slight smile, _this keeps them too busy to spot Ranma before me._ She found her mind wandering to the subject of Ryoga and Ukyo. Things seemed to have gotten better from where they were earlier in the morning, but Akane was still worried. She didn't really know why, but she _wanted_ to hook Ryoga up with someone. She felt as if he deserved someone to look after him. And Ukyo, despite her temper and tendency towards violence, seemed like the perfect match for him; and, as an added bonus, she would get rid of the "cute fiancé," as Ranma had so wonderfully put it. Not that she cared about Ranma's fiances at all, she assured herself, it was just that . . . that . . . well, it got Ukyo out of the way, and that was what mattered. The more she thought about the idea of Ukyo and Ryoga together, the more she liked it. Finally, she came up with a plan. Sort of.   
"Ryoga-kun?" She dropped back on the path slightly, so that she'd be walking next to the boy. "Can I talk to you for a second?"   
Ryoga jumped, as if startled. He turned wide, wild eyes upon her, and said indistinctly, "Mfrgl?!"   
Akane decided to take that as an affirmative, and continued speaking. "It's just that I've been having sort of a problem. It's . . . it's kind of a delicate thing, you know, so I don't want to talk to Shampoo about it, and I _definitely_ can't talk to Ukyo about it."   
Ryoga turned wide, wild eyes upon her, and said indistinctly, "Mrfgl?!"   
Akane was slightly disconcerted, but pressed onwards. "It's like this. I'm really worried about Ukyo, you see. She's been moping around a lot lately, and I think she might be lonely. I'm kind of busy fending off Shampoo, so maybe you could talk to her and try to cheer her up?"   
*stare* "Mrfgl?!"   
"Please, Ryoga-kun?" she pleaded, looking up at him.   
*nodnodnod*   
Akane smiled brightly, laying a hand on Ryoga's arm, not noticing that he looked down and stared at it as if it were the most holy thing he'd ever seen. "I knew I could count on you, Ryoga!"   
Ryoga forced himself to pull himself together. "C-C-Can how mean what you?" he blurted, still staring at the hand on his arm, as if watching from a great distance.   
Akane looked kind of vaguely puzzled. "Hmm?"   
Ryoga swallowed, tearing his eyes from Akane's hand, and tried again. " . . . Gah!"   
Akane's brow furrowed slightly. That noise he'd made sounded sort of like a positive sound, right? Akane nodded to herself. Right! "Arigato, Ryoga, arigato! You're such a wonderful guy! Ukyo's so lucky!" And Akane turned on her heel and headed back up to her place at the head of the group. _What a strange guy,_ she thought to herself, _but I guess Ukyo's strange too, so it works out._   
Ryoga stared at the place she had been standing for a few minutes before the fact that she'd left made its way through his clogged mind. He then stumbled along after her, his brain the consistency of mush, and about the same level of animation.   
"Is too!"   
"Am _NOT_!"   
  
  
  
  
An hour and a half later, Ryoga resurfaced from his fantasies with an almost near-to-truth memory of the conversation that had taken place. _So . . . just what is wrong with Ukyo?_ He glanced in her direction, and noticed that she and Shampoo had somehow stopped fighting, and were walking on either sides of the path. Shampoo was staring resolutely in front of her, and expression of anger on her face, while Ukyo was looking at the ground beneath her feet while she walked, her expression unreadable. She didn't really look "mopey," as Akane had put it, or lonely, but she certainly didn't look happy. _Feh,_ thought Ryoga sourly, _She probably just misses Ranma. Everyone else certainly does._ He was about to look back towards Akane, when he noticed that Ukyo was murmuring something under her breath. Ryoga could discern the words "Ranma, come back," before her voice dropped to below a whisper again. He did a double-take, and took in her unusually messy hair, which was pulled back into a ponytail haphazardly, her chef's costume which was wrinkled enough to show that she'd slept it in th night before, and her eyes, which were dull and slightly glazed from thinking by herself for a long time. He blinked­ he'd always thought of Ukyo as steady and calm, someone who'd always be there for people. She was always the happy one, the reassuring one, and here she was, so torn up about Ranma that her very appearance was being changed. Ryoga bit his lip. She may be violent, and she may hit him a lot, but she was still his friend, and he had to do something. The only question was: what could he do?   
Ukyo watched the ground in front of her, although she wasn't really seeing it. She was too focused inwards, concentrating on her thoughts. Every day it was getting harder and harder to keep being her usual self, without Ranma there. Oh sure, he'd gone off without her before, but somehow this was different. Something inside her was calling for him, and she found herself laying awake at night, staring at the roof of her tent and imagining his voice calling out to her. She'd never realized how much she depended on seeing him every day, sometimes two or three times. Whether he actually came into _Ucchan's_ to talk to her, or she just saw him briefly on the street, he was still a huge part of her life. Every ten minutes she would think she saw the flash of a red Chinese shirt, or that his face was looking out at her from a tree or group of undergrowth. She closed her eyes, forcibly pushing the depression that wanted to set in upon her out of her head. She had no room for it; after all, that was something better suited for Ryoga or someone like that. Ukyo was Ukyo-- she had to be cheerful, to keep the air from getting too heavy. _And anyway,_ she thought brusquely, _when I find him I'll get to see his friendly face again, and he'll tell me just how silly I'm being right now, worrying like this. He'll tell me that, and then we'll go back to Nerima and everything will be like it was before. It'll all be alright again. Ranma can take care of himself, better than anyone else I know._   
Ukyo suddenly raised her head, and grinned. "Hey, I know," she said, causing everyone to look at her. Strange-- Ryoga had been looking at her already, with a thoughtful and slightly worried expression on his face. She pushed that observation to the back of her mind, to ponder over later.   
Shampoo was slightly suspicious. "Know what, spatula-girl?"   
Ukyo raised an eyebrow, smug in her idea. "I know what we can do to pass the time, and put us all in a better mood."   
Ryoga looked interested, and slowed his pace a little. "Oh? What is it, Ukyo?"   
Ukyo looked almost eager, for the first time in days. "It's a really good idea. Perfect."   
Akane was getting interested, in spite of herself, and asked curiously, "Well, _okay,_ but what is it? We can't do it if we don't know what it is."   
Ukyo smiled, her dark eyelashes forming little upside-down half-moon shapes against her skin. "Karaoke."   
_*thud* _Everyone facefaulted, with a mutual noise of chagrin. Ryoga was the first to recover, and asked shakily, "K-K-Karaoke . . .?"   
Ukyo nodded, puzzled at everyone's reaction. "Yeah, why not? Although it's really not karaoke without the background music, we can still sing. It'll really lighten the mood around here, and it's lots of fun, too."   
Shampoo rolled her eyes, and quickened her pace up again. "Only stupid spatula-girl think of such dumb plan at time like this!"   
Ukyo looked hurt. "It's not a dumb plan! It's a good idea! Here, look, I'll get us started-- hey, Akane, join in with me!"   
Akane hesitated, but then shook her head firmly. "No! I can't sing well at all! Especially not without music to sing along to!"   
Ukyo scowled, and glared around at the two girls, and then looked pleadingly at Ryoga. "Hey, _you'll_ sing with me, won't you, Ryo-chan?" She smiled at him in her most winning way. It worked on Ranma like a charm.   
Ryoga flushed, and hoped that no one could see. "Uh-- I don't think I sh-should, Ucchan. I don't kn-kn-know many s-songs."   
Ukyo looked hurt, and then sighed, shaking her head. "Never mind. I'll just sing by myself, if that's the way you're all going to be." And with that, she turned on her heel and continued walking, beginning to sing in a light, airy voice. It was actually rather pleasant, if untrained, and although they wouldn't admit it, the others felt relieved by the break in the monotonous woodland noises.   
  
  
_"Daikirai datta sobakasu wo chotto_   
_hito nade shite tameiki wo hitotsu_   
_hevii kyuu no koi ha migoto ni_   
_kakuzatou to issho ni toketa_   
_mae yori mo motto yaseta mune ni chotto_   
_"chikuu" itto sasaru toge ga itai_   
_hoshi uranai mo ate ni naranai wa . . ."_   
  
  
Ukyo paused, leaving room for the short instrumental guitar part. She glanced around, and saw Shampoo walking in time to the beat, Ryoga bobbing his head a little, and Akane just as unruffled as ever, though her head was turned so she could listen to Ukyo. Ukyo grinned; she was winning them over, bit by bit. She'd purposely chosen a bouncy, happy song so it'd make them want to join in. So, she continued, crossing mental fingers that she'd keep them interested enough to join in.__   
  
  
_"Motto tooku made issho ni yuketara nee_   
_ureshikute sore dake de . . ."_   
  
  
Just as she began the chorus-like part, Ukyo heard another voice join hers. Surprisingly, she realized it was Ryoga's. She hadn't expected _him _to join in, especially not in this song. How did he know it? The only times _Ukyo_ had sun it, she'd been by herself. She continued singing, noticing that he had a pleasant baritone voice, one that supported hers nicely. Akane and Shampoo seemed just as surprised as she, but said nothing.__   
  
  
_"Omoide ha itsumo kirei dakedo_   
_sore dake ja onaka ga suku wa_   
_hontou ha setsunai yoru nano ni_   
_doushite kashira? Ano hito no egao mo omoidasenai no . . ."_   
  
  
They were at the middle part of the song, where the longer guitar instrumental part went. As they started the next verse, however, with Ukyo nodding at Ryoga so they'd start together, Shampoo started singing too, an almost "fuzzy" sort of voice, soft and melodic.__   
  
  
_"Kowashite naoshite wakatteru noni_   
_sore ga atashi no seikaku dakara_   
_modokashii kimochi de ayafuyana mama de_   
_sore demo II koi wo shite kita_   
_omoikiri aketa hidari mimi no piasu niha nee_   
_waraenai episodo . . ."_   
  
  
_"Sobakasu no kazu wo kazoete miru_   
_yogoreta nuigurumi daite_   
_mune wo sasu toge ha kienai kedo_   
_kaeru-chan mo usagi-chan mo_   
_waratte kureru no . . ."_   
  
  
Ukyo grinned; this was getting to be a huge success! She'd known it would work, from the start. Only then she noticed that Akane was resolutely staring at the ground in front of her, her lips pressed firmly together. Ukyo sped up her walking pace in the pause between verses and touched her elbow, grinning at her. Then she nodded at her, and began the last verse. After two lines, Akane sighed, and obediently started singing as well, though she made it plain she was only doing it because she had to.__   
  
  
_"Omoide ha itsumo kirei dakedo_   
_sore dake ja onaka ga suku no_   
_hontou ha setsunai yoru nano ni_   
_doushite kashira? Ano hito no namida mo omoidasenai no_   
_omoidasenai no_   
_doushite nano?"_   
  
  
Ukyo grinned around at everyone else as the song ended and said in a teasing tone of voice, "See? Told you it'd be fun. This is good; we should try harmonies, next song."   
Shampoo smiled, something that lighted her pretty face like a searchlight. "Aiya! Shampoo know what we do next, yes?"   
Ryoga grinned, showing those fangs again. Ukyo felt her heart do a flip-flop unexpectedly. _He should grin like that more often._ But she shook herself aware in time to hear him say, "Sure, go ahead Shampoo."   
Akane shook her head. "You guys are all nuts," she said with a little burr in her voice.   
Ukyo laughed, her eyebrows raised. "Oh yeah? Well, we're _fun_ nuts, which is what counts!"   
Akane smiled in spite of herself, for the first time in many days Ukyo noticed. "Yeah. That's what counts."   
Shampoo cleared her throat, picking up a stick, about six inches long, off the ground and holding it like a microphone. She grinned. "This is Japanese song, so you know it, yes?"   
  
  
"_Fighting evil by moonlight . . ."_   
  
  
  
  
Akane's voice was beginning to get hoarse from singing so much, but it was worth it. As they finished up setting camp that night, everyone was fairly bubbling with energy and bright spirits. Even Ryoga, usually silent and almost depressing sometimes, was smiling a lot. Ever since they'd started the "karaoke," not a single fight had broken out and even Shampoo was being generous. It was amazing what a little music could do, although Akane had been reluctant to admit it. If only Ranma were here, too . . .   
She shut that thought back away in the back of her subconscious as soon as she noticed it, finishing tying the last knot in the cord that held the tent to the ground. They'd brought three tents with them: one for Ryoga, one for one girl, and one for two girls to share. They all took turns on who got the single tent to themselves and who shared, and tonight Akane was sharing with Ukyo. She was actually a little relieved to be sharing, because she hated lying alone in the tent, staring up at the ceiling, unable to sleep at night.   
"Well, I guess that's it," Akane said, standing up and brushing off her hands. "How's dinner coming along?"   
"Oh, just fine, Akane. Here's yours, sugar; hurry and eat it, before it gets cold." Ukyo flipped the okonomiyaki onto the plate and handed it to Akane. Shampoo, yours is here too, come and get it."   
The Amazon complied, looking hungrily at the food on it. "Arigato, spatula-girl!"   
Ukyo nodded. "Welcome to it, honey. Ryo-chan, just a moment and this one will be done too." She poured the last of the batter onto her little stove, flipping it until each side was cooked to the right texture. "Here you are, sugar."   
Ryoga filed past, accepting the okonomiyaki and offering his thanks, but stopped when he noticed Ukyo starting to pack up her stove again. "Ukyo-san . . ."   
Ukyo interrupted, swiftly. "Just Ukyo, Ryo-chan."   
Ryoga blinked. "Oh, yeah. Ano, Ukyo . . . aren't you going to make one for yourself?"   
Ukyo shook her head, smiling slightly. "Oh, no, I'm not hungry tonight. I . . . had a big lunch."   
Ryoga wasn't convinced­ he'd seen the size of Ukyo's midday meal, and it wasn't large enough to even earn the title lunch. But he could very well force her to eat, so he sighed and nodded, "Well, goodnight, then." And he went into his tent.   
Ukyo looked after him, saying softly, "Goodnight, Ryoga."   
"Uuukyooooo! Come in, quick, before the bugs get in!" Akane's voice carried across the little clearing with no difficulty at all.   
Ukyo looked up and grinned. "Hai!" she called back, and hurried into the tent.   
Akane was grinning slyly as the okonomiyaki chef entered, and she chuckled smoothly. "Hey, I saw that, Ukyo-chan."   
Ukyo blinked, utterly confused. "Hmm? What did I do?"   
Akane busied herself by setting up her bedroll. "Oh, the look you had on your face just now."   
Ukyo was still completely in the dark. "Mm . . . you're not really talking sense Akane. Maybe you'd better get to sleep--"   
"Oh come on, Ukyo!" Akane said, exasperated. "You know what I'm saying!" She paused, seeing the look of incomprehension still on Ukyo's face. "_You_ just got done talking with Ryoouuga, didn't you, hmm?"   
Ukyo nodded, cautiously, "Er, yeah . . . I was giving him his dinner."   
Akane leaned on her elbows, eyes sparkling. "And you've never looked at yourself in a mirror after talking with him, have you? Your eyes shine a little, like water, and your face gets all soft, and you sigh softly under your breath so no one will hear. But I'm observant," she added smugly, "I see that kind of thing."   
Throughout Akane's declaration, Ukyo's face had been getting redder and redder, and she finally exploded, blustering loudly, "_What?!_ What are you _talking_ about? I don't . . . I'm not . . . it's not like that! I love Ranma! Why else would I be on this stupid trip, anyway?"   
"Because Ryoga came," came the silken reply.   
"B-But," she spluttered, "I was coming before Ryoga showed up, so there!"   
Akane grinned, and nodded although she didn't appear too convinced. "Yeah, you're right, Ukyo. Forget I even said anything."   
"That's _right_," Ukyo said firmly, crossing her arms to prove her point.   
There was quiet for a while, except for the rustling of cloth as the two girls got into their bedrolls. Then Akane clicked off the flashlight that had been lighting the tent, and it was dark. After a long, sobering silence that was broken only by the nighttime sounds of the forest, Akane said softly, "That singing was fun, Ukyo."   
Akane could hear Ukyo make a noncommittal sound, and reply, "Yeah, it was."   
"It . . . It was a really good thing you did today, you know. I don't know how much more of that heavy silence we could have taken."   
Silence from Ukyo. Akane's eyes were beginning to adjust to the darkness, and she could see Ukyo's face lit by the light of the moon coming through the fabric of their tent.   
Akane spoke once more. "You're always so cheerful. You make it possible for us all to not go crazy."   
Ukyo, still sitting up, turned her head towards Akane, and smiled. She opened her mouth to speak, and then suddenly burst into tears. Akane blinked, as unprepared for this mood in Ukyo as Ukyo herself was. "S-Sumi masen! I . . . there's nothing to be upset about, Ukyo-chan . . . everything's all right, it's okay, there's nothing to be sad about or ashamed of . . ."   
Suddenly Ukyo burst out, unable to stop the flow of tears from her eyes, "But that's just it! It's _not_ all right, and everything isn't okay! Ranma's gone, and is in danger he doesn't know about. What if something happens to him?"   
Akane swallowed, trying to not let her own emotions rise. "He can take care of himself­ Ranma Saotome_ never_ loses, remember?"   
Ukyo pulled her knees in to her chest, hugging them tightly. "I can't do this . . ." she said raggedly, her voice cracking. "I can't do this anymore! I can't, I can't!"   
Akane moved closer, laying a hand on Ukyo's arm. "Of course you can! All we have to do is find Ranma, right? He can't be that far ahead of us. It'll turn out right, you'll see."   
Ukyo just rocked back and forth, still curled into a ball. "I gave everything for him, Akane. Everything! My childhood, my home, my family, my femininity. I can't lose him now, not after all this! I don't know what I'd do without him; where I'd go, how I'd live. I can't _do_ this anymore without him!"   
Akane found herself taking Ukyo into her arms, trying to calm her, although she was nearly in tears as well. "It's okay," she repeated, brushing tear-sodden hair out of Ukyo's face. "We'll find him. You'll have him back soon." They stayed that way for a while, until Ukyo's muscles relaxed, and she sagged against Akane.   
"Arigato," came the soft, almost child-like whisper, muffled by Akane's shoulder. "S-Sumi masen . . . I­ I don't know what came over me­"   
"Shh," said Akane, releasing Ukyo before it got awkward. "I understand," she added. Then, in a brusque voice, she said, "Now get to sleep, you dumb spatula girl. We're gonna need it tomorrow."   
Ukyo nodded and quietly lay down in her bedroll, rolling over onto her side.   
Akane waited until it sounded as if Ukyo's breathing had settled into a sleep pattern, before closing her eyes herself.   
  
  
  
  
Ukyo awoke, her head feeling heavy and clogged. Groggily, she opened her eyes to see a large shape looming above her, silhouetted by the sunlight streaming in through the door of the tent. Surprised, Ukyo sat bolt upright, thwacking her head accidentally against the thing above her. She noted that whatever it was, it was rock-hard, and quite painful.   
"Ouch!" said the thing mildly, rocking back on its heels. Ukyo got the feeling, however, that the blow hadn't hurt the whatever-it-was as much as it had her. "What was that for?"   
Ukyo blinked, putting a hand to her head where she'd hit the thing. She peered through the sunlight, now able to discern the shape of someone's head, with a bandanna sticking up out of the ruffled locks of hair. "R . . . R-Ryoga . . . what--"   
Ryoga's face peered back at her, innocently.   
Ukyo felt anger and a sense of bruised dignity rise within her. "What are you doing in my tent? Henta--"   
Ryoga put a finger to his lips, signaling for quiet. "Wait a sec, will you?" And then he dashed out of the tent flap he was holding open, and blissful darkness descended on Ukyo once more. _What . . . What was that?_ Before she had time to wonder past that, the tent flaps parted once more and Ryoga appeared once more, holding a tray. "Here's breakfast, Ucchan!"   
Ukyo raised herself up on her elbows, her mind still clouded by sleep. "Huh?" she said intelligently. "What's this . . ."   
Ryoga set the tray down next to Ukyo's bed roll, and repeated patiently. "It's your breakfast, Ucch-" He stopped, coloring slightly. "I mean, Ukyo!"   
Ukyo was too tired to notice the use of her nickname. "Why's it . . . why're you . . ." She blinked her eyes again, trying to wake enough to form her slurred speech into proper Japanese.   
Akane's face appeared over Ryoga's shoulder, smiling cheerfully. "We all decided that you deserved a break. After all, you've been doing all the cooking by yourself, and not eating any of it. So, we made breakfast for you this morning and let you sleep in a little."   
A cold knife of fear shot through Ukyo, cutting through the warm fuddle of sleep, and she sat up abruptly. "Ah . . . Thank you, Akane. Tell me-- did you make all this?" She looked down at the tray, which held a covered dish of rice, a cup of tea, and a plate of eggs. It all looked normal, even appetizing. But you never could tell with Akane's cooking.   
Akane shook her head. "No. I offered to, but for some reason Ryoga volunteered to." She shot Ukyo a look, one that brought back memories of the discussion the night before. Of course, since Akane was standing behind Ryoga, Ryoga couldn't see her. But he could see the flush rise on Ukyo's cheeks.   
Ukyo looked back down at the tray, noticing the care with which the plates were arranged, and the carefully folded napkin on the side. She even saw a little vase of flowers on the corner of the tray. And although they were just ordinary woodland flowers, Ukyo thought that they were some of the prettiest she'd seen in a long while. "Oh . . . Th-thank you, Ryoga. It's lovely. And thank you, the rest of you, too. I'm really quite okay, none of this was necessary at all."   
Ryoga looked slightly embarrassed, saying, "Oh, I used to make these for my mother on her birthday all the time." He reached up and rubbed the back of his head, thoughtfully. "Though I never did see her reaction to them. I usually got lost trying to find her bedroom." Then he felt compelled to add, "The flowers were Akane's idea, though."   
Ukyo could almost see a vein pop in anger on Akane's forehead. Obviously she had meant for Ukyo to think Ryoga had gotten them himself. What is she up to? Ukyo wondered, as she picked up the chopsticks near the plate and put the napkin in her lap. She can't be trying to-- no, she wouldn't! She's trying to set me up with . . . with . . . with Ryoga? Ukyo had to try not to laugh as she thought about it. Obviously Akane wanted her out of the way as competition for Ranma. But why Ryoga? Certainly Akane must see that they fought a lot, and they each tended to say the wrong things to each other at the wrong time. _But . . . But Ranma and Akane fight a lot . . ._ Ukyo quickly stifled that though, and then smiled up at Ryoga. "Well, it's perfect." She took a bite of the eggs. "It's good! Where'd you learn to cook?"   
Ryoga shrugged. "I don't know; I must've picked it up somewhere. I have to cook for myself all the time when I'm traveling."   
Ukyo laughed, before taking another bite.   
  
  
  
  
On the road again, Akane thought that the breakfast had done just the right thing for Ukyo. When Akane would glance backwards, Ukyo would be either smiling or at least not looking so pensive and depressed as she had the previous days. They had gotten into a certain habit of walking: Akane would always be in the front, followed by Ryoga. Ukyo came next, and Shampoo brought up the rear. Usually, though, they tended to clump together, especially when someone suggested a song to sing.   
Akane sighed, remembering that although the breakfast had succeeded in the overt reasons for it, the secret reason for it had failed miserably. She'd intended for it to bring the two together. But then Ryoga had to let it slip that it was all Akane's idea and, though he had arranged the plates, it was Akane who'd picked the flowers. She shook her head, smiling ruefully. _Perhaps I'm just not cut out for playing matchmaker. Oh, but it'd just be so perfect if they got together! I can't give up now, not this close._ And although she wouldn't admit it, this distraction gave her something to think about other than Ranma's disappearance.   
  
  
  
  
Ukyo walked along behind Ryoga, watching his feet go one in front of the other and thinking. _I couldn't possibly . . . not with Ryoga. I love Ranchan, and Ryoga's in love with Akane! It'd never work anyway, even if we didn't already have someone._   
_But,_ came a tiny wisp of thought from the back of her mind, _Ryoga's in love with Akane, and if Ranma picks someone her, we'll both be single . . . _   
_No!_ Ukyo thought suddenly. _Ranma won't pick anyone other than me! Not after I've come all this way to find him!_   
"Shampoo think it time for 'nother song!" The voice startled Ukyo out of her contemplations, but then she nodded mechanically.   
"Sounds good. How about 'American Pie'? It's English, but the chorus at least is easy."   
Ryoga nodded enthusiastically. "I love that song! It's so sad at the end." He cleared his throat, nodded his head, and everyone started on cue.   
  
  
_"A long, long time ago_   
_I can still remember how that music used to make me smile . . ."_   
  
  
After three verses and the second round of choruses, Ukyo was almost too busy singing to notice the rustle of movement in the bushes beside her. But something told her to look to the side, and when she did so, she saw a flash of red that brought her heart into her throat. _Ranma! Oh, it's him, it's Ranma! I have to get to him first! _She quickened her pace slightly, until she'd caught up with Ryoga.   
Ryoga was lost in song until he noticed a touch at his arm. His voice faltered, and he looked down to see Ukyo signaling him to keep singing. So he did, giving her a curious look. She leaned upwards, and Ryoga noticed she was very, very close to him. He could feel the back of his neck heating up, and his heartbeat sped up like a butterfly on a sugar high. She leaned up further, her face drawing close to his. Her lips parted, and she--   
"I think I've seen something," she whispered. "Keep Akane busy."   
Ryoga attempted to calm down, realizing that he had turned the simple act of Ukyo whispering to him into something much, much more. He nodded, continuing to sing so that the others wouldn't know something was up. That was all he could do, in his nervous state.   
Ukyo smiled at him, making the blood roar past his ears that much harder. "Thanks, hon. You're a treasure." And then she had dashed off the path, into the undergrowth.   
Ryoga stared after her, an unusual feeling in his chest making him want to dash off after her and bring her back. _Be careful, Ucchan. It might be a trap. Be careful . . . I don't think I could handle having you hurt right now._   
  
  
  
  
Ukyo slowed, looking around. She'd emerged into a clearing, on an especially steep part of the mountain. When she'd gotten far enough away from the group, she'd begun calling out Ranma's name. She'd seen two more brief flashes of a red Chinese shirt since the first one, and once even though she'd heard his laughter echoing back to her. She smiled, waiting for her next clue-- ah, there it was! Another splotch of red. As soon as she registered it, however, she frowned. It was there, yes, but it had disappeared right into a stone rock face. She advanced to the wall, running her hands over it. There; what was that? She felt at the rock again, noticing a crack in the wall. The slipped her fingers in and pulled-- the rock swung easily, enough for a person to slip through. She grinned, sliding through it. _Can't fool me that easily, Ranchan!_   
Just in case he was within hearing distance, she called out tentatively, "Ranchan?" Her voice echoed down the long corridor she had seen in the brief light before the door closed again. She wished she'd brought a lantern or flashlight with her, and felt in her pack. She came up only with a pack of matches, and lit one. There it was, stretching out ahead of her: a long, uneven corridor that continued around a bend so she couldn't see the end of it. She continued walking, dropping the match when she felt the heat on her fingers.   
About five minutes later, she ran out of matches. She stood in the dark, thinking rapidly. So far there was no turns in the passage, just a straight corridor. She could go on just by feel, and then feel her way back out if she had to. _Yes, that's what I'll do._ She continued on, the darkness closing in on her like a vice. She'd never been afraid of the dark, but something about this darkness made the hairs on her arm prickle. How far did this thing go into the mountain? She didn't know how long she'd been walking when she spotted a faint light ahead. She sped up her walking, hoping she either came into daylight or found Ranchan, who should have a lantern. "Ranma?" she called, hopefully. "Are you there?"   
There was silence for a moment, before she heard something. "U-Ucchan?" came the reply. It was faint and quavery, but it was Ranchan's voice, alright! She began to run; she couldn't help it, her feet began moving of their own accord. She repeatedly banged her knees and elbows on the rock walls, and nearly twisted her ankle twice, but she didn't feel the pain.   
She came into a larger cavern, big enough to fit about six people standing across. Her eyes immediately found the source of the light, a small lantern with the wick almost burned out that had been knocked over, as if it had been dropped and then rolled into the center of the room. In its pathetic, flickering light Ukyo saw some liquid staining the stone black. _Water?_ Ukyo wondered, hurrying forwards. She realized that she was really very thirsty, and this was a welcome interruption. She reached it and knelt down, feeling at it with her fingertips. When she looked at her hands, they were stained red. She scrambled back, a little shriek tearing from her lips. She couldn't help it. _Blood . . . Blood . . . I hate blood . . ._   
"Ucchan . . ." There was that faint call again, Ranma's voice. Ukyo snatched up the dying lantern and flashed it around the room. At first she saw nothing that could have generated the call, until she saw a small, almost pitiful looking bundle resting on a small outcropping. Above it was a sort of shaft where it could have fallen from. And it was from that bundle that the red stain was seeping across the floor. It lifted its head, looking straight at her. "Ucchan . . . Ucchan, you have to help me . . ."   
A growing sense of horror was passing through Ukyo, as she realized what the "bundle" was. She scrambled as close as she could, the steep walls preventing her from completely reaching the out-cropping. She held the lantern close, and the very next minutes, she wished she hadn't. It was Ranma, lying on his back, a steady stream of dark blood trickling down the rock. One of his arms was hanging at an unnatural angle, twisting backwards just below the elbow, and Ukyo couldn't see the other one. There was a slight trickle of blood coming from the corner of his mouth, but otherwise his face was still the old face, as handsome as ever. He looked pale, though-- paler than Ukyo had ever seen him, and his eyes were getting duller and duller with every passing minutes. _Damn! If only I could reach him . . . he's so close . . . oh god, he's dying . . . _She cleared her throat, trying not to let the panic she felt creep into it. "Ah, so here you are, Ranchan. That was really mean of you to go off alone without bringing me with you, you know."   
"Ukyo--" he started to reply, and then started coughing, crimson spurting from his mouth to the stones. Ukyo felt a few hot drops land on her cheek, and forced herself not to recoil and brush them away. She _had_ to remain calm, for Ranma. When his coughing fit was through, Ranma tried again. "Ukyo, please . . . help me . . . oh, god, it hurts . . ."   
Ukyo felt tears threaten, and pushed them back down forcefully. Ranma never admitted pain, not ever. "It's gonna be fine, Ranma, don't you worry. I'm here now, everything's going to be okay." She looked again for a way up, slightly confused. A broken arm didn't mean someone was dying; why was this hurting Ranma so much? She looked up, straight up, and noticed a long shaft that Ranma might have fallen down. But it couldn't be natural, so someone had to have put that there. Like a trap. And pitfall traps usually had-- she swallowed, and forced herself to look back at Ranma. What she saw, when she was looking for it, made her go nearly as pale as Ranma, and made her want to break down and run away. It was a small spike, only large enough to just impale a human body. The red stain leaking across the floor was coming from the place where Ukyo could see, just barely, a small point emerging from Ranma's chest. And his lungs were filling up with blood, which was the reason for his coughing.   
Ukyo couldn't help it; she suddenly started crying, her efforts to reach him growing frantic and unthinking. "Ranma! Ranma, hold on, wait for just a little longer!"   
"'m so tired . . ." was the faint reply.   
"Don't go to sleep!" Ukyo shouted, nearly trying to destroy the wall in her frustration. "Don't go to sleep, stay awake, fight!"   
Ranma smiled, crookedly. "Ranma never loses . . . don't be silly." He started coughing, and then said between spasms, "Ucchan . . . I never got . . . to tell you . . ."   
Tears were pouring from Ukyo's eyes. "Stop! Don't say anything, just stay quiet."   
"Never . . . got to . . . tell you . . ." And his head fell to the side, and he lay still.   
Ukyo froze, staring at him. Then she somehow found a foothold, and heaved herself up to the overhang. "Ranma! Ranma, come back to me!" She froze, unable to make herself touch him. She tentatively reached down, watching the light fade from his wide, staring eyes. She touched his cheek, curving her hand around it, and-- his body dissolved into air. She jumped back, stifling a shout, staring at the empty rock in front of her. The red staining the floor went away too, turning into a mere trickle of water from a spring. She turned her hand towards her, looking at it, and the red blood on her fingers dissipated as well.   
"What . . . What the hell?" Had it all been just her imagination? No, but she'd _seen_ him, heard his voice, felt the spray of blood on her cheek . . . She shakily slid back down the rock face, landing on the ground and collapsing to her knees, trembling slightly. It had felt so _real_ . . . was it some sort of illusion? A . . . A premonition? She swallowed, and the tiny sound echoing around the small cavern and coming back to her ears like a siren. Then she stood up, swaying slightly before she found her balance again. She began to walk, following the corridor onwards, not looking back. Her throat was burning with thirst, but she didn't even think to drink the water trickling down from the spring on the rock ledge.   
As she walked, memories of her and Ranma began to pass across her vision, becoming so real she could touch them. At first they were happy; making him lunch, him asking her advice, them going to the hot springs together. But they soon grew less and less appealing, and Ukyo found herself becoming ashamed. Memories of how she'd misunderstood him when she'd first come to Nerima. Memories of how many times she'd hit him, or beaten up on him, and now she might lose him forever. Memories of arguments with his other fiances, where he had almost become a simple object to possess and show off. She felt rotten inside, and wanted to somehow punish herself for treating him like a prize to be won.   
So deep in thought was she that she almost didn't see the faint light approaching behind her. When it was too bright to be ignored however, she spun, to see a ghostly form illuminating the hall.   
"Ucchan . . ." it whispered, in a thousand voices melded into one. "You failed me . . ." The form solidified, into Ranchan's body, still holding the scene of his gruesome "death" just moments before. "You never loved me; it was all just a game to you."   
Ukyo backed up a few steps, felt behind her for the rock, and then turned and ran blindly, not caring if she fell down some pitfall and broke her neck. From behind her floated the parting whisper: "You're too ashamed to face me . . ."   
She rounded a corner, to find a horrifying scene in front of her. It was Ranma, whole and intact, lounging on a lush divan. All around him were women, all young and beautiful, and all wearing next to nothing. Ranma smirked, as one of the women twined her fingers in his hair. "Just give up, Ukyo," he said, in a lazy voice. There's no point in you going any further."   
Ukyo closed her eyes and then opened them again, forcing herself to speak in a level tone. "Why, Ranma? Why do you tell me to give up?"   
Ranma looked almost surprised, or would have if his expression wasn't so smugly self-satisfied. "Why? Because I'm so much happier here than I ever was at home. My girls here have made me happier in a few days than you ever did in a lifetime, Ukyo. Give up and go home. I'm sure you'll find someone else's life to screw with."   
Ukyo stared, not wanting to believe her ears. "But . . . but I _love_ you, Ranma! These girls, they're just . . . they're not . . ."   
Ranma laughed, a sound with no amusement in it. "Oh, really? And what is love, anyway? It's just lust, when you get right down to it, and my lovelies here give that to me in abundance."   
Ukyo shut her eyes tightly, shaking her head. "No! You have to love me, you have to remember!"   
"Remember what? Remember when I was chased around by half-grown little girls, all too scared to actually do anything?"   
"No! No, no, no! That's all wrong, you've got it all wrong!" She lashed out, striking the nearest woman. Her hand went right through, and suddenly the whole scene disappeared, leaving Ukyo standing alone in a small, dark cavern, shaking with reaction. "No . . . No . . . he had it all wrong, Ranma had it all wrong . . ." Her eyes were wide as she whispered to herself, listening to the eerie sound it made in the echoes. Directly in front of her there suddenly appeared a disembodied head, the lips pulled back in a grotesque mask of death, the features just recognizable as Ranma's. It was the face of a corpse long dead, and Ukyo gagged as the stench suddenly overrode all else. Another one appeared, this one sneering at her, taunting her and telling her how much he hated her. Soon there were too many to count, each of them calling for help or smirking at her or even just ignoring her. Ukyo suddenly pulled her spatula out, swinging it around and smashing through the ghostly images, dissolving them like smoke.   
"_NO!" _she yelled, swinging at empty air until the spatula slid from her sweaty palms, flying across the room into the shadows where it clattered to the floor, a dead, tinny sound. "No! No . . ." She sagged, sinking to the floor, where she huddled, covering her ears against the wails and taunt and cries for mercy echoing through the corridors, all in Ranma's voice. "God, leave me alone, let me be! Oh god, let it stop . . ."   
She didn't know how long she stayed there, and didn't care. Eventually, she realized dimly, as if from a long way off, that she was walking forwards towards a point of light. She eventually emerged into daylight, the sharp sunlight piercing her eyes. She didn't notice, though, didn't flinch. Because in front of her, arms crossed, stood Ranma.   
Ukyo took a few steps towards him, staggering slightly. "Ranma--" she croaked, her hoarse voice cracking with strain. Then suddenly, with a flurry of action, she rushed forward, hitting him as hard as she could in the stomach. She froze, staying that way. He hadn't disappeared, hadn't dissolved like the other visions. His body was as solid as anyone else's, and she could feel his heart beating through his red Chinese-style shirt. The wind picked up, playfully stirring their hair, and Ukyo suddenly felt his hands on her shoulders.   
"Ucchan . . ." he said gently, his voice like angels' singing in Ukyo's ears. "What are you doing here?"   
Ukyo suddenly sagged against him, tears flowing freely. "I came to find you, Ranma! Thank god I did, we have to get down, leave . . . I love you, oh please, don't leave me here alone! We have to get away, leave, come on, let's go, please don't leave me . . ."   
His hand pressed against her lips, stopping her hysteric babble and pleas for help. "We're perfectly safe. I am, anyway."   
Ukyo paused, blinking. "You are? Why?"   
Ranma spread a hand expansively, taking a few steps away from Ukyo. "Because I am the master of this place."   
Ukyo staggered without Ranma's support. "You . . . you are? But, that means that you gave me those horrible visions . . . why . . ."   
Ranma smiled, a smile that sent chills up and down Ukyo's spine. She'd never seen a smile like that on Ranchan's face before. "Yes, they were rather good, weren't they? The last bitch that came up here went crazy after just one, and killed herself by hitting her head against a wall. I'm rather impressed, you know. You've got spunk."   
Ukyo's heart contracted painfully, as she heard Ranma's words. She couldn't answer him because of her shock, only stare at him with her mouth hanging open.   
Ranma eyed her thoughtfully. "Yes, and you lost that awful spatula, that's good. I think I might keep you for a while, before I kill you." He strode towards her, seizing her wrist in a painful grasp.   
Ukyo struggled, in vain, fear smothering every sense she had as she tried to get away. "R-Ranma!" she choked out, managing to speak. "What are you doing? Let me go! This isn't funny! Let me _go_!" And she kicked at his shins, not even causing him to blink.   
He leered down at her, looking into her frightened eyes, and again smiled that cold smile. "Yes, I think I will keep you a while. You'll struggle­ I like my women to resist." He leaned forward, crushing his mouth against hers, holding her head by her hair. Ukyo began to scream, knowing that there was no one around who could possibly hear her. She was on her own.   
"Ranma, stop, please! You're hurting me!"   
He grinned, his hands gripping her upper arms and pinning her against him. "Good. Pain can be just as exquisite as love, you know." And he traced one hand down her arm, and then back up again, under her short sleeve. Then, with a jerk, he ripped the cloth, tearing it evenly across the front, causing a tatters of Ukyo's shirt. She cried out again, as he threw against the ground, knowing what was coming, and unable to do anything. Then, so faint that she thought she might be imagining it, she thought she heard an answering yell.   
"Help me! Oh god, somebody, anyone! Help me--" Her voice was cut off by Ranma's mouth once more, and she struggled again in vain. There; there it was again. It was soft, but it was obvious whoever was shouting back was roaring at the top of his lungs, anger in his voice. _"Ucchan!"_   
"Please, somebody help me . . ." She broke down, sobbing, too exhausted to fight any more. The far-off shouting came again, and Ranma looked up, cursing.   
He looked back down at her, disgustedly. "So you brought your little pet along with you, huh? Gonna go crying back to your pig-boy, aren't you? Back in Nerima, all I ever wanted out of you was this; and now you're not going to give it to me. You're _my_ woman! This is what you're for!" He stood, the pressure of his weight on her easing. "Well, go on and cry to him, vixen. But remember; when you least expect it, I'll be there. I'll take what's mine, if I kill you while doing it." And he disappeared, into some out-cropping of rock. But Ukyo was too busy sobbing to see, her body too tired to notice that he was no longer near her.   
  
  
  
  
Ryoga ran harder, faster than he ever had in his life, calling out Ukyo's name. "_UCCHAN!_ Ucchan, I'm coming! _Hold on!_" He followed the sound of her voice, and broke out of the forest into a sunny clearing near a particularly steep slope of rock. In the center, directly in front of him, was a small huddle of black clothing and soft brown hair blowing in the breeze, with no sign of the danger. Ryoga's heart thumped painfully, and he advanced on the pitiful bundle slowly. He reached out a hand, placing it gently on Ukyo's shoulder, to turn her and check for injuries, and she suddenly spun around, clawing at him with her nails and shouting at the top of her lungs. He jumped back, shocked to see her disheveled hair, torn clothing, and wild eyes.   
"U-Ukyo . . . It's me, Ryoga . . ."   
She gave no sign that she heard him at all, still staring at him with those wide, intense, and strangely vacant eyes. Ryoga noticed that large, vaguely hand-shaped bruises were beginning to form all over her body, or at least on the parts of her that he could see. He tried coming towards her again, gritting his teeth and hardening his resolve against her hysterics. She fought him, screaming and crying alternately, but eventually she collapsed against his shoulder in a faint, her body limp and unnaturally light in his arms. He picked her up, gently, and carried her back the way he had came, praying that he'd find the camp now, when it mattered. _Ukyo . . ._   
  
  
  
  
"Is . . . is she okay?" Akane's eyes were wide, and she stared at Ukyo's prone body as if it were a deadly poisonous snake.   
Ryoga didn't even blink. "I don't know. I heard her screaming, and then found her huddled in a clearing. I tried to talk to her, but she starting fighting me, and I just had to wait until she exhausted herself before I carried her back here."   
Akane took a step forward and kneeled down, examining Ukyo's bruises. "Her . . . her clothes, they're torn all over her." She looked up at Ryoga, and her eyes were filled with horror. "Someone . . . Someone tried to . . ."   
Ryoga swallowed. "I don't think they did. I think whoever it was ran away when they heard me, because--" he closed his eyes. "Because there was no blood. I think he just scared her, and got too close for comfort."   
Akane nodded. Shampoo was standing behind them, silent. They'd erected a hasty tent when they saw Ryoga carrying a limp body, and Ukyo was now lying on a rough pallet. Akane sighed, and got to her feet. "I think that right now, the best thing for her is simply rest. We'll stop here for a while." She left the tent, followed by Shampoo. Ryoga looked back at Ukyo for a moment, before leaving the tent as well.   
  
  
  
  
Dinner was quiet; no one wanted to say anything, so no one tried. There was no okonomiyaki for dinner, and no "karaoke" afterwards to cheer everyone up. After a long time, they heard movement from the tent. They watched Ukyo emerge, sway slightly, and then walk off into the forest without even looking in their direction. Ryoga stood before anyone else could react and hurried after her, motioning for everyone else to stay put. Akane stared after him, unable to do anything else.   
Ryoga followed the signs of Ukyo's passage, the broken twigs and trampled undergrowth. He soon found her; she was sitting against a tree, singing softly and fiddling with something on the ground. As he neared, he noticed that she was not singing the way she usually did, strong, rich, and full of song. She was singing softly, in small sections, an off-key, slowed-down version of a song he knew. It was like listening to a dying tape player, with batteries that were almost gone.   
  
  
"Yappappa . . . yappappa . . . ii-shan-ten . . .   
hashagu . . . koi wa . . . ike no koi.   
Yappappa . . . yappappa . . . ii-shan-ten   
mune no tai wa . . . dakare-tai . . ."   
  
  
It was a song Ryoga hadn't heard in a long time, not for months and months. But he'd recognize it anywhere, mixed with anything, sung on any pitch. It had been played a lot during his early weeks in Nerima, when things were uncomplicated and normal. He'd always associated it with his and the others' early lives when they'd all gotten tossed into one city and expected not to destroy it too much. Ryoga swallowed, hating the sound of Ukyo's faint singing, and stepped forward. "U . . . Ucchan . . ."   
Ukyo looked up, a smile tracing her lips, and patted the ground next to her. "Welcome to _Ucchan's_, Ranma-honey. What can I get for you today?   
Ryoga blinked, and shook his head. "No, Ukyo. I'm not Ranma. I'm Ryog­"   
"Alright, one special coming up." And she began to sing again, as she stirred the dirt around with a stick.   
Since he couldn't think of anything else to do, he sat down near Ukyo, watching as she tried to flip the little mound of dirt with her stick. Eventually she pushed the dirt over to him, saying with a bright smile, "Here you are, sugar, eat it up!"   
Ryoga looked down at it. She'd put little pebbles in it, like toppings. "Ucchan . . . I'm Ryoga, not Ranma. I'm not Ranma. We haven't found him yet."   
Ukyo leaned her head on her elbow, smiling slightly. "Yes, I'd imagine she'd be a pain sometimes. She's such a tomboy, isn't she?"   
Frustrated, Ryoga hung his head, closing his eyes tightly. "Ucchan . . . Ucchan, why won't you listen to me?   
Ukyo shook her head, with a sigh. "I know. Have another okonomiyaki, Ranchan?"   
Ryoga swallowed, and nodded, gazing at her with sad eyes. "Yes. Yes, I'd like another okonomiyaki, Ucchan." He reached out and gently took her hand, rising to his feet and pulling her with him, meeting no resistance. He began to lead her back the way he came, not noticing that for once, he wasn't wandering off in another direction.   
"Where are we going, Ranma-honey?" she asked.   
"I don't know. Camp," he said, noting as he looked back that her beautiful, expressive eyes were flat and dull, glazed and unseeing.   
"That sounds lovely, Ranchan," she said, linking her arm in his. "It sounds like a good date, to me."   
Ryoga held her arm tightly, fighting emotions back. "Yes. It does, doesn't it?"   
"I think we should do this more often."   
"Perhaps."   
"Forget about Akane for a while, Ranchan. She's annoying, and just makes you angry."   
"I know. I don't think about her any more."   
"And Shampoo's too weird and aggressive for someone like you."   
Ryoga glanced at Ukyo, his eyes lingering on the bruises on her pretty, smiling face. "I never did think of her."   
"And that leaves just me."   
"Yes."   
"I love you, Ranchan."   
"I-- I think I love you too, Ukyo."   
Ukyo rested her head on Ryoga's arm, and he continued to lead her back to camp, catching her when she stumbled unknowingly.   
Akane watched from the cover of the forest and withdrew when she saw them coming. _Ukyo . . . I think we might have lost you . . ._   
  
  
  


* * *

_The Eye of the Beholder_, by Tori-chan: email me at saezuru@hotmail.com 


	6. Shampoo

The Eye of the Beholder ~ Chapter Six DISCLAIMER: All characters except for Nayami, who is introduced in later chapters, do not belong to me. *ponders Ryoga's fangs wistfully* Unfortunately. C&C always welcome, feel free to email me at saezuru@hotmail.com if you've got any comments. Thanks for reading!  
  
  


The Eye of the Beholder   
Chapter 6   
"Shampoo" 

  
  
  
  
  
Shampoo watched Ryoga lead Ukyo carefully through the forest, stepping cautiously herself so she wouldn't stumble. The okonomiyaki chef seemed to be in some world of her own, as aware of her surroundings as her spatula would be. The strange thing was, she wouldn't let anyone expect Ryoga near her, for all that before she'd seemed as indifferent to him as Shampoo was. Of course, she _did_ think he was Ranma. That made a slight difference.   
She didn't really understand what was wrong with Ukyo, not completely. Physical injuries, that was fine. Emotional injuries, even, like Ranma's nekoken, that was fine too. But this injury of the mind was strange and unfamiliar, and Shampoo hated unfamiliar things. She was quite familiar with the concept of going mad, of course; who wasn't? She'd heard stories, read books, and seen television shows where people had lost one too many marbles, but she'd never actually seen someone go insane. No, perhaps insane wasn't the right word. Ukyo wasn't frothing at the mouth or raving or anything. It was the little things she did, the quirks, the singsong and rehearsed quality to her voice that gave it away. At night, she'd sometimes wake the whole camp, screaming at the top of her lungs in her sleep, fighting whoever came near her, telling them to stay away from her. Sometimes, when it was an especially dark night, Shampoo would wake to find Ukyo crawling into her tent and curling up at the foot of her pallet, trembling slightly with some terror known only to Ukyo. But during the day, if you didn't know that "okonomiyaki" was not a pile of dirt with a few twigs and bits of grass tossed in, if you didn't know that "_Ucchan's"_ was some restaurant miles and miles from here, if you didn't know that the man she so lovingly called Ranma was really not Ranma, you'd think she was completely normal. That was what made it so hard. Shampoo found herself sometimes talking to Ukyo like she used to and they'd get into an argument like usual, before Shampoo would notice Ukyo's blank, unseeing eyes and turn away.   
Shampoo sighed, looking back down at the ground. She hadn't realized how much she'd taken Ukyo for granted before, nor how much she'd actually depended upon her. The real Ukyo was so happy, and cheerful, so _alive_ that she brought life to the camp. This Ukyo, a mere shade of what she used to be, was happy, yes, with her "Ranma" at her side, but she was happy in the way a young kitten is happy when it finds a patch of catnip.   
After camping for two days and letting Ukyo rest, they were heading back towards the mountain, against Shampoo's better judgement. Something about it made her want to hang back, though she never would have admitted it out loud. Akane had suggested that Ryoga take Ukyo back to Dr. Tofu and the others, and then meet her and Shampoo back at the mountain later, after they'd found Ranma and come back out.   
"No," Ryoga had said quietly, automatically catching Ukyo as she stumbled slightly.   
Akane blinked at him, surprised at his tone of voice. "No? But, Ryoga . . . It'd probably be better if you did, you know." She had been surprised at him, surprised that he was speaking intelligibly, without stammering at her as well as the fact that he was firm in standing against her.   
"No," Ryoga repeated. "I'm going. I'm going to find whoever did this to Ucchan, and I'm going to kill him. But before I do, he's going to feel every bruise, every scar, every mental bit of anguish she's going through, and he's going to feel it a hundred times worse. I might even let him live for a while, just to watch him scream and sob his pain." His eyes were flat, and hard, and resolute.   
Akane had backed up a step involuntarily, feeling slightly sick to her stomach. "R . . . Ryoga . . ."   
Ryoga glanced down at the top of Ukyo's head. "Can we keep going, please, Akane-san?"   
Akane had swallowed and nodded, still looking at him with fear naked in her wide eyes. "Oh. H-Hai."   
Shampoo shook her head, remembering the scene with no small amount of fear herself. It was one thing to see Ryoga on a killing rampage back in Nerima, with his good old ikari-ki building and him flailing his umbrella about, but this new side of him was completely different. His anger was calm, controlled, and centered into a simple drive to destroy, hurt, kill someone. Shampoo had an uneasy feeling that it wouldn't take much to release that pent-up anger, and woe upon the one who did so. Needless to say, she'd been staying a good bit away from him since morning, when Akane had the misfortune to suggest that Ryoga stay behind.   
  
  
  
  
They arrived at the cave, and paused just before the entrance, all of them staring at it silently. Ukyo made a soft noise deep in her throat, and Ryoga glanced down at her, quickly. "What? What is it, Ukyo?"   
Ukyo shook her head, smiling. "Oh, nothing, Ryo-chan. It was just a little chilly for a second, that's all."   
Ryoga nodded, and looked back at the cave. Then he paused, and grabbed hold of Ukyo's shoulders, looking at her intently. "'Ryo-chan,' you said . . . Ukyo, who am I?" He gave her a little shake, causing her head to wobble slightly.   
She looked puzzled. "Ranma Saotome, silly. What's the matter with you?"   
His face fell, and both Akane and Shampoo let out the breath they'd been holding. "A­ nothing, Ucchan. Nothing at all." Ryoga straightened, glancing at Shampoo and Akane. "Well, I guess we should go in." His voice was deceptively calm, but both Akane and Shampoo could see little dent just below his lower lip that showed he was biting it, hard.   
Akane nodded, trying not to let the sympathy she felt for him show in her eyes, lest he take it amiss, and Shampoo tightened her grip on her bonboris in response. They stepped into the cave, followed by Ryoga, who was still leading Ukyo by the arm. Once they got just inside, however, Ryoga felt Ukyo tense, and looked back at her. Her eyes had gone wide, and she was staring all around her like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. Ryoga took a step towards her, his expression cautious and questioning. "Ukyo . . . what is it?"   
She took a few steps backwards, out of the cave, and then would have run if Ryoga hadn't reached out a mere fraction of a second before and grabbed her arm. "Let me go," she cried, trying to pull away. "Don't touch me, let me go! Don't make me go back there, Ryoga!" She struggled, though Ryoga's vice-like grip never even faltered. "Please, please, don't make me, I don't want to see it anymore!"   
Ryoga's eyes had widened, and both Shampoo and Akane, standing further in the cave, were staring at Ukyo. Ryoga asked intently, "Ukyo . . . What'd you say?"   
Ukyo shook her head, tears trickling from her frightened eyes. "I told you not to make me go back in there . . . Ranma's not in there, he's not, he's not! There's nothing in there, except . . . except . . oh god, don't make me go!" She sank to her knees, her head bowed.   
Ryoga blinked as the pressure fighting his arm eased, and reached down to gently lift her. He shook his head, with a sigh. "I think she's fainted, or something," he said in a strained voice.   
Akane said tentatively, "She . . . she called you . . ."   
"My real name. I know."   
"And she was aware of where she was, for the first time since­"   
"Yes."   
Akane swallowed, and turned to continue walking. Ryoga picked Ukyo up with ease, as if she weighed no more than a feather, and followed, with Shampoo bringing up the rear.   
  
  
  
  
"Another fork." Akane's voice echoed slightly down the long stone corridor. "Which way do we go?"   
Ryoga glanced down each path, and replied, "I don't know. Pick one; we have just as much chance with one as we do with the other."   
Shampoo remained silent, looking down both paths. Akane shrugged, and started down the left fork, and Ryoga followed her unprotestingly. Shampoo started to follow, when something caught her eye. She peered down the other corridor, blinking to see if she was imagining things. But no, there it was again! A faint light, as if from a lantern, proceeding down the stone hallway. She looked back towards Akane and Ryoga, who was still carrying Ukyo, but they hadn't noticed it. They weren't even looking in her direction. Shampoo hesitated only for a moment longer, and then slipped down the right-hand hallway. Ryoga and Akane didn't even look back.   
  
  
  
  
Shampoo tried not to laugh. This was too easy! There'd been no turns, no other possible paths to take. She simply followed the low-ceilinged corridor, every so often seeing a glimpse of the light she'd seen. There was no hint of the horrors Ukyo supposedly saw, nothing that could possibly have led to her present mental state. Shampoo began to hum under her breath, thinking of how she'd find Ranma, rescuing him from some horrible evil. He'd be so happy to see her, and she'd run into his arms, and then she'd bring him home to the Amazon village. Her grandmother would be beside herself, and the other girls would be so envious of Shampoo and her new husband's happiness. And then, Ukyo and Akane would see how perfect she was for Ranma. Then, they'd see, and Mu Shu would have to leave her alone. No more of his tagging along after her . . .   
She jerked her head up, resurfacing from her contemplations in an instant. She froze, her last footstep echoing ahead of her. _What was that?_ Shampoo wondered, glancing around her cautiously and listening hard. She could have sworn she'd heard something, like a faint click. There was nothing to be seen in front of her nor behind her, except the flickering shadows cast from her flashlight. She shined the light upwards at the ceiling, which was so low that it was only an inch or so above her head. There, a few feet ahead of her, she saw a shaft leading upwards. She started to walk towards it to investigate, when she felt something move beneath her feet. Looking down quickly, she noticed a small, perfectly even square of stone depressed about a quarter of an inch below the rest of the stone. She stared at it numbly and crouched down to examine it, and then lifted her head with a snap. In front of her, stone slabs were falling from the ceiling at regular intervals, closing off her path. She glanced behind her, where the same thing was happening. She could only watch as the last stones fell, leaving her in a small chamber only a few yards wide and long.   
Shampoo swallowed, and forced herself to think. So she was trapped in a tiny box of stone, with no food or water, far away from any human contact, and no one with the slightest clue of where she was. Big deal. She forced herself to laugh, hoping to quell the panic rising within her. "At least it no can get any worse," she said aloud.   
Then, with a quiet, almost inaudible fizzing noise, her flashlight flickered once and went out.   
  
  
  
  
"In here?"   
"Y . . . Yes, I believe this is the cave."   
"Oh, my! It's so dark in there!"   
"I've brought a flashlight."   
"Oh, to think of beloved Akane, in that monstrous cavity, alone, without me to protect her from what vile things may be inside!"   
"Kuno-baby, relax. Shampoo and Ukyo are with her, and Ryoga too. Nothing's going to happen to her."   
"Dr. Tofu, where are you going?"   
"Inside."   
"Why? I thought we were going to wait for them outside. Oh dear!"   
"I've got a . . . a bad feeling about it all. They should have been back safely days ago. And . . . I think that there's something in here that I might have to deal with."   
"How do you know so much about this cave, Dr. Tofu?" There was a pause. "Cut it out, Kuno, and wait for the rest of us. I _told_ you, Akane does not need rescuing."   
"But--"   
"Just hold on."   
"Yes, Nabiki Tendo."   
"Now, again; how do you know so much, Dr. Tofu?"   
"I . . . well, through research."   
"Research."   
"Yes."   
"There's lots and lots of books about this place, is there?"   
"Yes."   
"Tons and tons of books about this backwater mountain that no one in their right minds have ever heard of."   
"Yes. I'm sure you read about it in your mythology textbook at school."   
"Mm-hmm. A guy named Miyake, who I think was some sort of mechanic or something, and his little assistant boy came here. Miyake got the kid to go along with him because the guy needed some curse lifted, or whatnot. Miyake was never heard from again, and the assistant claimed not to remember any of what had happened."   
Silence.   
"You don't think it was the mention of a cure for a curse in that textbook that brought Ranma here, was it?"   
"I don't know, Nabiki."   
"I think I'm going to sue the school system when this whole thing gets done with."   
"Oh my!"   
  
  
  
  
"Dammit, where the hell are we?"   
"That's supposed to be my line."   
Akane glared. "Shut up, Ryoga."   
"Sorry."   
Akane sagged slightly, and smiled ruefully. "Sorry, Ryoga, I didn't mean to snap. It's just . . . my nerves are tight as a guitar-string right now, and--"   
Ryoga shook his head, shifting Ukyo's limp weight in his arms. "I know. I'm tense too." He coughed, clearing his throat. "You don't happen to have any water left in your canteen, do you? I've drunk all mine."   
Not for the first time, Akane wondered at Ryoga's new ability to speak proper Japanese without sounding like a maniac. She shook her head, with a grimace. "No, I don't. I drank it all a while ago. But mountains often have underground springs in them, don't they? We might find one to refill the canteens from."   
Ryoga nodded. "Yeah, that's a possibility."   
Akane rubbed at her arms, a sudden chill running through her. After a long silence, she asked in a near-whisper, "Ryoga . . . What do you think happened to Ukyo? Why haven't we seen anything that could have done this to her?"   
Ryoga closed his eyes for a moment, shutting out everything but his thoughts. When he opened them again, his eyes were troubled. "I don't know, Akane. I really don't. It bothers me, though, that we haven't seen anything. I wonder if . . ." He looked to the side, at Ukyo.   
Akane waited for him to finish and when he didn't she spoke again, tentatively. "If what?"   
"I don't know. Never mind, it's nothing."   
Akane looked at him, feeling a strange emptiness inside her that she'd never really felt before. Why was Ryoga being so closed to her? He'd always been willing to talk, however garbled it may have come out. And at least when he didn't want to talk, he left. Generally at high speeds, after punching something as if in frustration. She decided to let it go for the time being, and asked cautiously. "Do you want me to take Ukyo for a while? I'm stronger than you may think."   
Ryoga shook his head. "No, you remember what happened at the camp when you and Shampoo tried to get near her."   
Akane sighed, and nodded unhappily. "Yes." She didn't want to remember it, but she couldn't help it. Ukyo had started whimpering and even screaming at them to get away from her. She only let Ryoga near her, calling him Ranma and trying to serve him okonomiyaki. "But she's unconscious; does it really matter?"   
"What if she wakes up?"   
"Oh. Yeah." Silence fell once more, their sporadic conversation dying down again. For all her attempts at matchmaking, she'd never once suspected any _real_ attachment on Ryoga's part to Ukyo. But when he looked at the chef, in that sad way of his, Akane couldn't help but notice. In a way, she was rather sad. Sad that it had taken such a tragedy for him to realize his feelings, and sad that now that he had realized them, there was no way for him to demonstrate them without taking advantage of Ukyo. After all, the girl _did_ think he was Ranma, and would be perfectly willing and even eager to-- but Akane put that thought aside. Ryoga would never do that, he'd never take advantage of her like that. In another way, Akane was, she admitted to herself, jealous. Ryoga was a valued friend and companion, but for a long time Akane had been afraid that she might mean something more to Ryoga. He did act kind of odd when she was around. She liked him and everything, but just not in that way. So why was she jealous? _Vanity_, she thought, scoffing at herself. _You're just upset that not every guy that crosses your path is mad in love with you._ Perhaps that had been why she had been so eager to hook him and Ukyo up; out of guilt for not returning Ryoga's sentiments. Guilt that she'd played with his feelings and tormented him for so long.   
Akane pushed those thoughts from her mind forcibly, and forced herself to concentrate on the task at hand: finding Ranma. She paused, surprised at herself. It was no longer 'get there before Shampoo does,' it was simply find him and make sure he was safe. It didn't even matter to her who found him anymore, just so long as he was safe and no one got hurt. She glanced at Ukyo. _Too late for that last one,_ she thought sadly. Then she turned to glance at Shampoo, to see if she was as deep in thought as Akane was.   
Ryoga was lost in thought, an onslaught of memories coming upon him. Like the time he and Ukyo came out of the Tunnel of Lost Love together, and how well they worked and fought together. And how everyone had teased them for being a couple, when they weren't and never had been and never would be. _Never would be . . ._ He swallowed, forcibly bringing his mind back to focus, staring at the dark tunnel before him, a darkness which his lantern did nothing to dispel. He paused, almost missing the barely perceptible noise behind him, like that of a gasp or other such sound of surprise. He turned, to see Akane staring at empty air. "What--" and then froze. A growing sense of fear came over him, and he tried to speak calmly. "Akane . . . Wh-Where is Shampoo?"   
Akane looked back at him, her eyes wide with fear that was not entirely for the missing group member. "I . . . I don't know, Ryoga. She's just-- disappeared."   
  
  
  
  
Shampoo sank to the ground in the dark, her back sliding against the cool stone of the wall. She forced her thoughts to stop running around in panicked circles, and considered her options. They were dauntingly few. She could shout herself hoarse trying to get the attention of the others, and possibly run the risk of discovery by whoever owned the cave and was responsible for Ukyo's madness. She could just sit there, hoping someone would find her. Or-- she paused, remember back to just before the rock slabs had fallen, trapping her. What was it she'd seen? A long, vertical tunnel leading upwards. She stood, tucking her bonbori into her belt and feeling above her for the low ceiling. She moved around her box-like prison, bumping into walls repeatedly, until her fingers encountered empty space instead of the slightly rough rock. She reached up into it, feeling around the edge of the circular opening. There was a ridge that stood out all around the edge, large enough to be a kind of handhold. Hesitating for no longer than a breath, Shampoo grasped the ridge and hauled herself upwards. She found more of the ridges, spaced at even intervals. Like a ladder. Before she had time to wonder what such a thing was doing in a cave, she felt hands grab her upper arms, and haul her upwards roughly. Her head snapped backwards, striking the side of the wall as her body accelerated up the shaft. Then all went blissfully black, the pain of the arms gripping her shoulders fading as she sank into unconsciousness.   
One of her bonbori slipped out of her belt and fell to the ground, where it shattered. Before the noise faded, the stone slabs that had sunk to the floor ascended silently back into the ceiling, blending so well that one wouldn't be able to find where the ceiling ended and the slabs began even if one knew what to look for.   
  
  
  
  
_"Akane! Where are you, my love?"_   
"Shh!"   
"Shh!"   
"Shh!"   
"But­"   
"Just be quiet, _please!"_ Nabiki was not in a good mood. She rarely was, except when she made a good bargain, but the mood she was in rivaled even some of her worst days. And the fact that there was no sign of her little sister _or_ Ranma in this cave was making her a little more than just nervous.   
"I believe . . . Yes, it's this way." Dr. Tofu had been strangely silent the whole time they were near the cave and when he did speak, it was as if he were just waking from some sort of dream. Nabiki couldn't put her finger on it, so she did nothing about it. Nodding, she followed, going a ahead a ways and shining her flashlight around the corridor. As she was examining the ceiling, her foot struck something solid but unattached to the stone floor. It slid a little, clanging, as her foot hit it.   
"Nani--" She bent down, shining her flashlight upon the object. She picked it up and turned to show the others. "It's . . . Ukyo--" her voice faltered in spite of herself, but she didn't need to say more. Ukyo's spatula had been lying in the middle of the path, as if it had been thrown haphazardly down the hallway.   
Kasumi's hands flew to her mouth, her eyes wide. "Oh . . . Oh dear . . . "   
Nabiki suddenly snapped, rounding upon her sister. "No! No, this is not 'oh dear,' or 'oh my!' This is serious, Kasumi! We could be killed! This is real life, not a happy little wonderland at home, cooking and cleaning and keeping house for two crotchety old men and little children! Ukyo's been-- been--" She stopped, looking down at the spatula and hardening her countenance once more, ashamed that she had let so much go.   
Kasumi stared at her sister, backing up a few steps, tears leaking from her eyes. She turned around, as if the run from the place, but instead ran into Dr. Tofu. She felt arms go around her against her shaking, the solid warmth of the doctor letting her forget the situation, the danger, and her sisters' rebuke. Dr. Tofu had made remarkable progress, and didn't go insane when she was near him. He acted a little odd, and occasionally forgot where he was and what he was doing. But now, he didn't even seem to notice her proximity. He shot Nabiki a half-angry, half-apologetic look, and guided Kasumi down the corridor a ways, to talk to her quietly.   
For once, Kuno was silent. He merely looked back at Nabiki, meeting her eyes. They were frightened, something they rarely were, and Kuno couldn't help but intervene. "We don't _know_ that anything happened to her," he said in a soft voice. "The girl might have just dropped it."   
Nabiki shook her head, too upset to notice that Kuno wasn't talking in garbled poetry, and that he was speaking sense for once. "I know-- knew her, Kuno. She'd never go _anywhere_ without her spatula, at least nowhere dangerous. And she wouldn't just leave it lying in the middle of a cave."   
Kuno's expression was worthy of the title of Nabiki's stony ones. He said nothing, waiting for Nabiki to continue.   
She did. "And now, that's one less person to help my sister--" Again her voice faltered, and she looked down so that her hair shadowed her eyes and face from Kuno's gaze.   
"She still has Shampoo and Ryoga," Kuno pointed out reasonably. "She can't be in any danger with them around."   
"Ukyo was!" Nabiki nearly shouted, and Kuno noticed tiny dark circles appear on the stones beneath her feet. She was crying.   
"Nabiki . . ." he said tentatively, unsure of how to deal with her. "It's alright, there's nothing--"   
"Stop it!" she said, wiping her eyes angrily. "Just-- Just stop it!"   
Kuno was clearly taken aback at this strange mood in Nabiki. She'd always been solid, dependable-- if a little cold-hearted, sometimes. Too surprised to use his own flowery language, he said hesitantly, "But . . . Everything's going to be okay. It always turns out right in the end in stories and legends, doesn't it? And those are based on truth."   
"But they're not real life! You don't understand! You all live in a fairy-tale world, all of you! You don't understand pain, or death, or poverty! How can you? You've never had to experience it, so why bother trying to know what it means? You're all just--"   
Before he knew what he was doing, Kuno reached up and slapped her, hard, across the cheek, cutting off her hysterical babbling. She looked up at him, her jaw hanging open in surprise. Then, just when Kuno thought he had maybe done wrong to hit her, she sagged, her very frame wilting. He did the only thing he could think to do-- she'd just had a shock, an emotional overload. He reached out, and she sagged into his arms. It wasn't romantic, or anything close to it. It was simply a comforting gesture, and Kuno thought that maybe she understood that.   
"It's just-- I'm so frustrated! There's nothing I can do to help Akane; I don't even know where she is, or even if she's beyond help right now! I don't know what's happened to Ukyo-- I knew her, Kuno, saw her and spoke to her! I'm-- I should have been able to do something to help­ to prevent . . ."   
Kuno stroked her hair, as he would with a child. "I know. I know how you feel. It's alright. You don't have to be ashamed."   
"You have it so easy, wearing all your emotions like a hat that you can just take off at will, changing whenever you want. I can't be like that. You just don't see things the same way I do."   
"Maybe we're both different from other people, with normal emotions," Kuno said quietly. Nabiki was silent, and after a while, Kuno felt her tense muscles relax and her flushed face cool, and he released her.   
She took a few steps back, giving him a puzzled look. He smiled, that same stupid, soppish smile he always had. Nabiki shook her head, in exasperation. "You . . . You . . . You're confusing, Kuno. But thanks."   
Kuno bowed a little at the waist. "Thou art most welcome indeed, Nabiki Tendo."   
Nabiki glanced down in the direction Dr. Tofu had taken Kasumi, rubbing at her eyes. "Ah-- Kuno? I . . . would appreciate it if . . ."   
Kuno gestured for silence with a finger against his lips. "If I didn't mention this? Of course not. Silence is golden."   
Nabiki swallowed, and steeled herself. She hated asking this of any person, but she'd put herself into the situation, so it was her fault. "How-- How much do you want?"   
Kuno looked momentarily surprised. "What? Oh, it's alright. Consider it a favor, Nabiki Tendo."   
Nabiki looked just as surprised. "Oh. Okay, then."   
At that moment, Dr. Tofu came back with a slightly vacant-looking Kasumi, not that vacant was a new look for her at all. "Are you alright?" Nabiki asked, swallowing her pride.   
Kasumi nodded, smiling. "Of course! It was just a momentary dizziness. I don't know what came over me." Nothing in her tone of voice or expression laid any blame on Nabiki at all.   
Nabiki turned away, trying to settle the guilty roiling of her stomach. One couldn't stay angry with Kasumi for long; and she never got angry at anyone. "Then, let's go." Nabiki took the spatula with her, awkward though it was. If there was the slightest chance that Ukyo was still alive, she might have need of it later. The others followed her, the rear brought up by Dr. Tofu. Although he nor any of the others took any notice of it, there was a vertical shaft above a stone out-cropping to the left of the cave. From the stone out-cropping a small spring trickled down the rocks, looking almost like a bleeding wound.   
  
  
  
  
Shampoo awoke feeling as if someone were trying to split her head open with a nutcracker. She started to raise a hand to her head to rub at her temples, and found that she couldn't. Surprised, she shifted in place. She was standing upright, her hands and feet tied with her back at some round, hard surface. It felt like stone, but she couldn't be sure. She opened her eyes, and saw blackness. _So they had to put me in the dark, did they?_ She then noticed that fuzzy bits of light were coming to her eyes. Her first thoughts were of panic, that 'they' had somehow blinded her while she was unconscious, that she'd never see true light again. Then, as her eyes grew more accustomed to trying to see, she realized that she wasn't blind, but blindfolded instead. Just then, she heard a small noise; like the scrape of a shoe against a stone floor, perhaps.   
"Who there?" she called, hoping she sounded as intimidating as someone who is bound and blindfolded could sound. She was pretty sure she failed at it.   
"Ah, the little bird awakens." It was a deep, masculine voice. Shampoo recognized it­ but at the same time, she didn't recognize it. It was so full of scorn and hatred that it was twisted into something strange and unfamiliar. For a moment, Shampoo thought she could almost put her finger on whose voice it was. But then the scrap of recognition flitted away, back into the regions of her subconscious.   
"Wh-Who is you?"   
Shampoo suddenly felt a blow across her face, jarring her bones and causing her to bite her tongue, and she tasted the salty taste of blood. "Speak normally!" the voice said again, filled with scorn.   
"I-- I speak Chinese, I no can--"   
"You know you can. You've lived in Japan for more than enough time to learn proper Japanese."   
Shampoo was startled. She'd never thought about it, beyond punishing anyone who had the audacity to make fun of her for her way of speaking. "Who . . . Who are you?" she asked, carefully.   
"That's better." He sounded smug. "And as for your question-- I'm hurt that you don't recognize me, Shampoo."   
"How you know-- How do you know who I am?"   
"I know everything about you."   
Shampoo was too frightened to think clearly. "But-- But how . . ."   
The person speaking leaned towards her, his face close enough to hers that she could feel his breath brushing her cheeks as he spoke. "How? How is not important. The laws that apply to the world that uses 'how' do not apply to _me_. The point is, Shampoo, that you belong to me. Completely and totally."   
"I no belong to anybody!" she cried, lapsing back into her usual mode of speaking.   
"Such spirit! But you cannot fight me. You can't even make an attempt to resist."   
"Coward! Fight me like real man!"   
"I don't need to fight you." Shampoo felt a light finger trace down her cheek, then her neck, and her shoulder. "You've already succumbed to me. You just don't know it yet."   
Shampoo shrunk away, or tried to within the limits of her bonds. "At least you take off stupid blindfold!"   
The voice laughed, a chilling, humorless laugh. "But that would take all the fun out of it. Come now, little bird. You can't fight me, so you might as well accept your fate gracefully. Who knows-- you might even enjoy it after a while, if you're a good little girl." His face drew even closer; Shampoo could feel his body heat on her face. "This is what you came to me for. Why are you fighting it?"   
Shampoo struggled at her bonds briefly, and then spat in his face. "I fight until I die! You no can have Shampoo-- all is for Ranma, and no other man!"   
He laughed again, she sound sending chills down Shampoo's back. "All the better! You even surrender yourself to me through your words."   
Something was nagging at the back of Shampoo's mind, that brief flash of recognition she'd had earlier. If only the scorn would leave his voice for a moment, she'd be able to tell who it was. "I no surrender! If you take this body, Ranma will get revenge for me! He no let you get away with it!"   
"Oh, I'm sure he will." He traced that finger trace back up to her neck, caressing her skin. Shampoo tried to get out of the way, her skin crawling with revulsion. "You have such a beautiful body, little bird." Shampoo felt his other hand on her neck as well, palm flat against her skin. She couldn't do anything but listen in horror as he spoke on. "So angry, but yet so fragile and delicate. A bird's neck can be wrung with a simple twist, you know. It's not hard. Just a quick little wrench, and it's all over." His hands closed around her neck, and she closed her eyes beneath the blindfold, hoping that it was as quick as he said.   
"But no--" And his hands left her neck, Shampoo heaving a sigh of relief. "No, I think I will wait to snap that lovely neck of yours. First, comes pleasure. Pleasure that you only get from life."   
Shampoo almost wished that he had killed her. She didn't say anything, her head bowed, still tasting the blood in her mouth from when she'd bit her tongue.   
"I believe you have the wrong impression, little bird." A faint sound could be heard, like the scrape of metal scraping against metal. "I don't want you for _that_. Did you know that witnessing pain can be just as exquisite as enjoying your body?" Shampoo again felt his hand on her face, curving around her cheek. "You are so lovely, you know. So delicate and yet so temperamental." His fingers suddenly closed on her chin, holding her head in place so she could no longer move it. "So perfect. But true beauty comes from imperfection. Didn't you know that? I shall sculpt you, create an imperfect work of art. You shall be so beautiful, a vision of pain." Shampoo felt something prick her left cheek, above the cheekbone and below the eye. Slowly, excruciatingly slowly, the point moved downwards, slicing into her skin. It lasted for an eternity, and Shampoo would have collapsed if not for the ropes holding her up. She could feel the blood flowing from her cheek, pulsing in time to her heart beat. She concentrated on it, with almost a morbid kind of fascination. She didn't realize she was screaming.   
"That's enough now, anata." The new voice was feminine; soft but commanding, smooth as silk but cold as ice.   
"Hai." Shampoo immediately felt his presence leave her side, and nearly passed out with relief. She felt a trickle of blood dripping down her chin from the knife wound on her cheek. _Strange,_ she thought distantly, _the itch of the blood is bothering me more than the pain of the wound . . ._   
Again, the new voice spoke. It was a beautiful voice, soft and . . . almost fuzzy. "You don't want to wear her out, after all. You must let them recover before you hurt them again."   
"Of course."   
"Shall we go, anata? We have other visitors to attend to."   
"Hai."   
"I think shall take off her blindfold, just for amusement's purpose."   
"Yes." The voice was now flat and obedient, without any of the hate and scorn it had held earlier. If Shampoo had been able to think clearly, she'd have been able to recognize it in an instant.   
Shampoo felt the blindfold taken off, gently. She opened her eyes, seeing a blurry white form in front of her. Her eyes were so clouded by the pain of her cheek that she couldn't see clearly, but what she thought she saw behind the white-clad female figure made her heart skip a beat. She thought she saw a tall, masculine figure wearing black pants and a red shirt. Two things she could see very clearly. He was smirking, and his hair was in a black braid down his neck.   
Before Shampoo could see anything more, the room spun dizzily, and then everything went black again.   
  
  
  
  
"Do you have any more batteries?" Dr. Tofu sounded worried. "It won't be good to walk around here in the dark.   
Nabiki was frowning at the faint, flickering flashlight in her hand, and nodded. "Yes, I do, but . . . Well, it shouldn't be about to go out yet. I put new batteries in right before we went into the cave."   
"Well, you _have_ been using it a lot, Nabiki," said Kasumi, a slight wrinkle of worry marring her brow. She obviously didn't like the idea of wandering around in the dark.   
"But not enough. They're supposed to last a lot longer than this." She sighed. "I'll put in new batteries, though. Maybe these are defective, or something." She crouched down, setting her bag on the ground in front of her. She rummaged through it, coming up with a pair of batteries, smirking triumphantly. "See? I told you I had more." She exchanged them for the old ones, throwing the old ones negligently into the pack and zipping it up. She clicked on the flashlight, which burned brightly, and then looked up at the others. "Much better, ne?"   
All three of her companions were staring at her hand, the one that held the flashlight. "Wha--" she looked down at the light. It was faint, and flickering unsteadily. "Oh, this is bad," she announced. No one saw fit to disagree with her.   
After a few moments of staring in horror at the flashlight, someone cleared their throat. Everyone looked up, startled, and Kuno grinned sheepishly. "If this flashlight isn't going to last much longer, I say we get moving while we still at least have the flickering. We'll at least get someplace before we run out of light."   
Everyone nodded; this was a sensible course of action. Nabiki led the way with her flashlight, though the unsteady quality of the light was not entirely due to faulty batteries. The ceiling kept getting lower and lower, until Kuno and Dr. Tofu had to stoop slightly. After a long, monotonous walk, Nabiki stepped on something that made a sad little crunching noise. Everyone froze. "Uh . . . oops?" she said.. She bent down, and picked up a colorful shard. "This is . . ." She looked around, and picked up another piece, larger, in the shape of a round handle.   
"One of Shampoo's bonboris . . ." Kuno finished for her. Another silence fell over the group, heavy and somber. Nabiki sank to her knees, sifting the fingers of one hand through the pieces on the floor. The slight tinkling noise they made was the only sound.   
After a period of time in which no one spoke, Dr. Tofu cleared his throat. "There is a shaft leading upwards."   
Everyone looked up.   
"I-- don't think--" Nabiki began, but Kuno interrupted her.   
"She had to have gone up this way. Look, the tunnel is blocked up ahead." And it was, with a strangely regular slab of rock.   
"Oh m-- um," said Kasumi, glancing cautiously at her sister.   
Nabiki said nothing, glancing up through the vertical tunnel.   
Kuno reached up and felt around the rim, and then announced, "I'll go first."   
Dr. Tofu stepped forward, saying firmly, "No, Tatewaki-kun. I'll go first. You come last, staying to help the others get up the tunnel."   
Kuno nodded. "Right."   
And so the four of them proceeded up the shaft, with Kasumi following Dr. Tofu and Nabiki following her sister. Kuno was the last one up, so there was no one to se his foot barely miss, only by an inch or so, a small square of stone sticking up only a fraction of an inch above the rest of the floor so that if someone were to step on it, it would depress into the stone.   
  
  
  
  
For the second time that day, Shampoo awoke wishing that she'd just been able to stay unconscious. It was easier that way­ the pain in her head and in her cheek weren't there in that blissful darkness, and she didn't have to wonder how she was going to get herself out of this.   
"Xian Pu?"   
_Oh gods, I'm not ready for this again . . ._ It was that female voice again, the soft and almost fuzzy one. _Maybe if I pretend I'm still unconscious, she'll go away._   
"I know you're awake, Xian Pu." The voice sounded almost kind. But Shampoo was too wary at this point to trust her ears. She realized then that she was relying only on her ears; she opened her eyes, taking a few moments before she could focus on the figure in front of her. It was slender, wearing a long, sleeveless robe of white, entwined and trimmed with vines.   
"What you want?" she said, in a voice hoarse from exhaustion and lack of water.   
"You must be thirsty," said the woman, stooping for a moment. When she straightened, Shampoo felt her press something against her lips. "Here, drink this."   
Shampoo was too tired to resist, and thirstily drank down the contents of the cup. It turned out to be simply water, lukewarm but clean. "What you want?" she repeated in a clearer voice.   
"I want-- to talk to you." The woman's expression appeared slightly puzzled, as she examined Shampoo.   
"Talk? About what?"   
"Where did you come from?"   
"Amazon village." Shampoo didn't see the point in refusing to talk to the woman. If she was going to be nice, let her be nice.   
"Really? Why are you here?"   
"To find my fiancé."   
"Oh." Shampoo thought that the woman looked vaguely disappointed. "In that case, I believe that this belongs to you." Suddenly, the woman reached up and had retied the blindfold before Shampoo could react.   
"What-- why you doing this?"   
She laughed, a chilling sound in the echoing cavern. "Because it's fun, my dear. I love to see the blood spill out onto the stones. So many years, and these stones have never been stained. But some day, perhaps, the red will stay. Red is such a lovely color, don't you think?"   
Confused, Shampoo could only move her mouth, trying to form her jumble of thoughts into coherent words.   
"Anata! She's recovered, I think."   
"Oh? That's good. I was beginning to get impatient." It was the man's voice again, the disorienting effect of that recognizing yet not recognizing once again throwing Shampoo into confusion. She began to tremble as she heard his footsteps approaching, shutting her eyes tight despite the blindfold.   
"Please," she whispered. "Please, don't­"   
"Are you begging now? You who were so proud and full of spirit just hours ago?"   
Shampoo didn't answer. It was safer that way.   
"You are easily broken. You presented no challenge to me. Even that Ukyo was more fun than you've been."   
Something flared up inside Shampoo, and she straightened imperceptibly. "You? You did that to Ukyo?"   
"Oh, so you liked it, did you? I thought it was rather good, myself. Unfortunately, her little pet ran to her rescue before I could really have fun with her."   
Shampoo almost sagged with relief. So Ryoga had been correct, and he had scared off Ukyo's assailant before he could do anything to her! But that still didn't explain why he had ben able to drive Ukyo mad in those few moments. Mad enough to think Ryoga was Ranma, and think that she was back in her restaurant in Nerima. Ranma . . . mad enough to think that Ranma . . . That nagging sense of near-recognition came over her again, and a growing sense of horror passed over Shampoo as a thought came to her that she didn't want to acknowledge but couldn't ignore. "You­ you're­"   
"I grow tired of you." The voice sounded lazy. "I think perhaps I need to see your pretty face marred by pain again." Shampoo felt something touch her hand, and loosen her bonds enough to slip her right hand out of the ropes. They were tightened again immediately, but Shampoo didn't notice because she was concentrating so hard on her hand.   
"Yes, Nayami-sama will be pleased." Shampoo supposed that Nayami-sama must be the woman whose voice she thought sounded soft and fuzzy. The man continued, "You have far too much loveliness for your own good, you know. Even your hands are beautiful."   
Shampoo didn't say anything. There was nothing she could say. At least both of his hands were touching hers, so he couldn't be holding a knife.   
His fingers traced hers, gently. Deceptively gently. "I wonder if your bones are as delicate as your face. Shall we find out?" Before Shampoo could think of anything to say in order to stall him, a growing pressure on her index finger distracted her.   
"What­" she said, faltering. "What you doing?" The man didn't respond. The pressure increased, until it reached the point of pain. Shampoo gasped, trying to draw her hand away. But his other hand was firmly holding her wrist; she could hardly move, much less pull away. Her vision swam, a red haze coming into her eyes. At the same time, though, it was as if she were watching the whole thing from some vantage point up above. She felt the pain, and yet was detached from it as well. The pain reached an unbearable level, and yet somehow kept continuing to hurt more. Finally, there was a sick snapping noise, like a damp twig, and the pain changed. There was no more pressure, and her finger merely throbbed in time with her heartbeat. Shampoo smiled with relief, and then once again darkness threatened to overwhelm her. Her head drooped, and she felt her torturer drop her hand. Her finger bounced painfully off the post she was tied to, but at an impossible angle. She heard the faint sound of musical laughter to her side.   
"You're getting better at this, anata."   
"No crying or anything this time?" His voice sounded vaguely disappointed. "Perhaps I should break another one, hmm?"   
Shampoo started to form words, but was interrupted before she even began. "Stop it!" cried a voice, one that she recognized immediately.   
She lifted her head, dizzily. "Doctor . . . is you . . ."   
"What are you doing?" Dr. Tofu sounded appalled, his voice thick with emotion. "Ranma--"   
"Is no longer here," the voice finished. It was flat now, the rage in it barely concealed. Shampoo recognized it.   
"But . . ." That was Nabiki. Shampoo would recognize _her_ voice anywhere. "Ranma, why are you doing this? Even if you got tired of Shampoo following you around, you would never have stooped to torturing women!"   
"Are you jealous that I've invested so much time in beautifying my little bird here? Perhaps I shall kill her soon, so her beauty will never fade."   
"Oh-- good lord, what did you do to her?" The choked exclamation was Kasumi's. Shampoo heard light footsteps hurry towards her, and then the dull thudding noise of flesh meeting flesh. Then she heard Kasumi's body hit the ground, and heard her gasping where Ranma had hit her.   
"Where are you going?" he asked. Shampoo could almost see the sneer on his face. She didn't see how she couldn't have recognized his voice before. Perhaps she hadn't wanted to be able to recognize him.   
"I . . ." Kasumi's voice was frightened, almost like a little child's.   
"Never mind. I know where you were going." There was a pause, and Shampoo heard Kasumi get up again, and continue towards her. This time nothing stopped her, and Shampoo soon felt light hands on her face, untying the blindfold and stroking her feverish forehead. She dizzily opened her eyes, to see Kasumi's worried face peering at her. Shampoo glanced over Kasumi's shoulder, and noticed that Ranma's attention was no longer on them. The lady in white, the one called Nayami, was standing next to him, and he was looking at her with such a look of adoration on his face that Shampoo's heart contracted painfully, even now.   
"Anata, who are these people? These aren't the ones you said you saw on the road."   
Ranma shrugged. "Others from my memories. They're not important. None of them pose a threat to either of us."   
Dr. Tofu swallowed, and kept glancing from the lady to Kasumi. Shampoo wondered why, and then suddenly realized that she didn't remember a single detail about what the lady looked like; and she somehow couldn't focus on her now. Her eyes kept sliding around her face like water off a duck's back, unable to see anything clearly. "Look," said Dr. Tofu in a shaky voice. "I know who you are. Don't you know me?"   
The lady turned her attention to him. "I've never seen you before in my life," she announced. Then, after a silence, the lady made a small, strangled sound.   
Ranma looked at her in concern, asking, "Nayami-sama! Is something wrong?"   
"No!" she called, and then moderated her tone. "No, anata. Nothing is wrong. Please-- leave this man with me. Take all these others, and go."   
"But . . ."   
"Go!"   
"Hai." And Shampoo was shoved roughly through a stone doorway along with the others, the silence of the room behind her stretching out like eternity.   
  
  
  
  
"So you do recognize me, then," said Dr. Tofu almost sadly.   
"No."   
"Then why did you send everyone away?"   
There was a pause. "I . . . I do not know."   
Dr. Tofu forced himself to look into her face. "You must recognize me. I was the first. The first in a line of many, of which Ranma is the latest."   
"I . . . was not here at that time."   
Dr. Tofu was surprised. "Then you're not . . . not Nayami . . ."   
"I am."   
"But­"   
"You think far too much like a man, Ono. Nayami is only title, one more thing that rests upon my weary shoulders. My predecessor was a kinder woman than I. She had reason to be. I never did."   
"How do you know my name?"   
She looked startled, and momentarily frightened. "I . . . I heard someone say it, I think."   
"No one calls me that anymore. You know me from somewhere, don't you?" Dr. Tofu took a step forward, still focused upon her face, although it cost him.   
"Why did you leave me, Ono?"   
"I didn't. You-- one of your predecessors sent me to spread the tale of a mountain where your heart's desire would come true."   
"You don't recognize me."   
"I can't," he pointed out as gently as he could. "The scroll changes your appearance for each man, remember?"   
"I know." She paused. "Tell me, Ono. What do you see in the illusion , when you look at me? What is your heart's desire?"   
Dr. Tofu swallowed, looking at Kasumi's face, into Kasumi's large, liquid brown eyes. "I see a beautiful woman. She is kind, and sweet. She never argues, but somehow I'm always compelled to do what she wants without her needing to argue. She's . . . I've loved her for a long time. I don't know how long."   
"I see. Perhaps I shouldn't have let Ranma hit her, then, should I?"   
"How did you know it was her?"   
"I saw you glancing at her and then back at me the whole time. I'm not stupid."   
"Who are you?" Dr. Tofu asked, something tugging at the back of his mind, something that wasn't quite right.   
There was no reply for quite a while. Then, softly, she said, "Strange how one can forget one's past. Especially the things that are the most important."   
"Have I forgotten something? Remind me."   
"It was-- oh, about twenty or twenty-two years ago. I lived in a small village in China, but it was a proud village. One day, a young Japanese man came to our village. He was skilled in the ways of medicine, and soon became our village's doctor. We came to him for everything, though it was traditionally unheard of in our ways for a man to be a skilled worker. Men were only for breeding, and tending the houses while the women took care of the important things. He and I grew close, during his time there, very close. I was at the age where most girls take husbands, and there were already several young men looking to take my hand. But I didn't have any eyes for them. My heart was completely for the doctor. But one day, he had to leave. He told me that he would come back for me, and that we would be married. And he was gone. I never saw him again."   
Dr. Tofu didn't speak.   
"I soon became ill; I felt weak and disoriented, and occasionally I would wake up nauseous and unable to keep anything down. I went to our wise woman, a wizened old woman who was the only thing we had close to a doctor, and she told me something that I had hoped never to hear, at least not for a long time. Not until the young doctor returned. She told me-- that I was with child. I tried to keep it a secret for as long as I could, but I could tell that everyone knew. I was disgraced, cast out by the village. I had everything I needed, a home, food, care; but I could see how everyone whispered behind their hands when they thought I wasn't watching. I knew that their 'hospitality' would disappear the moment they could get rid of me, this woman who'd slept with a man before she was married. I had the child, a strong, healthy daughter. She was everything a mother could have wanted. She was beautiful, with a delicate face. She had my voice even at that age, and she'd inherited my dark, violet-colored hair. I named her Xian Pu. I lovely name, to fit a lovely daughter. As soon as she was healthy enough to be cared for by the other women of the village, though, I left during the night. I couldn't stay, and I knew that. Only the wise woman of the village saw me off, and wished me luck. I don't know what drew me here, but I somehow found my way here. I came inside the cave, meeting no resistance at all, and saw a scroll lying on the floor. I picked it up, and a change came over me. And now­ well, now you see what I am." She laughed, a bitter laugh. "So different from the woman I once was, aren't I, Ono?"   
"I . . . I never thought that--"   
"You're right, you never did think. Strange, isn't it, how fate led me to the same place you got your eternal youth? That same youth and vitality that you shared with me that night before you left our village, that night I saw you for the last time. How long has it been since you were sent out by my predecessor to spread the myth of the mountain? How long since you had those mythology books published and distributed to the schools? Well, are you happy now that you've fulfilled your mistress's demands?"   
"I'm not the same man I was when I was with you, Xi Nao. I've changed."   
"You can't change! You're eternal!"   
"Eternal doesn't mean unchanging. The world doesn't have to be the unhappy place it was, you know."   
"Doesn't it? Men are filthy, corrupt. They just need an excuse to unleash it."   
"But can't you see how mankind is striving to better itself-- and how it needs help, salvation before all honor and loyalty go to the winds?"   
"Mankind." She spat the word out, as if it were distasteful. "You speak of it as if you were one of them."   
"I am one of them."   
"No. You gave up humanity centuries ago, when you came to the mountain as a young man, in the company of the other."   
"Even though I am eternal, I am still just a man."   
"Just a man. That speaks volumes, doesn't it?"   
"Return with me-- leave this mountain behind, Xi Nao. Leave the scroll here for some other poor woman to find in the future."   
"I cannot."   
"Why?"   
"I am bound here, until a replacement comes. And that will only happen when the fates decide I am ready."   
Dr. Tofu took a step back and, without saying another word, turned and walked out of the cavern the same way Ranma had taken his companions. Xi Nao watched him go with a hard expression on her face. When he was out of earshot, she sank to her knees, covered her face with her hands, and wept.   
  
  
  
  
"I can hear water," Akane said in a hoarse voice. "I'm so thirsty . . ."   
"Me too," Ryoga said softly. He was still carrying Ukyo. There was silence for a while as they walked onwards, until Ryoga felt something shift in his arms. He glanced down. "Akane," he said quietly. "I think she's waking up."   
Ukyo opened her eyes and looked around. The first thing she saw was Ryoga's face peering anxiously down at her. She made a startled noise, and he gently set her down. She staggered once before he reached out and steadied her.   
"Ukyo?" that was Akane; Ukyo turned to look at her, blinking her eyes to focus them. "Ukyo, how are you feeling?"   
"I've got a hell of a headache," she muttered. She paused, and then glanced at Ryoga. "Why . . . Why were you carrying me, Ryoga?"   
Ryoga stared at her for a moment, and then took her by the shoulders. "What did you say?" he said, almost reluctantly.   
Ukyo blinked, confused. "I asked you why you were carrying me."   
"No-- what'd you call me?"   
"Um . . . Ryoga? What's wrong with you?"   
Ryoga took a step back, and then sank to his knees. "You . . . you're back . . ." he whispered. Ukyo glanced at Akane, who was just staring at her, mouth agape.   
"Back? What are you talking about?" She just then noticed her surroundings. "Where are we? What happened?"   
"It's-- you were-- never mind, Ukyo, it's not important." Ryoga drew himself to his feet again. "Right now, we're following the sound of the water."   
"Oh. Okay, then" As she glanced around, something seemed strangely familiar about this particular corridor. She had an odd sense of deja vu, and it wasn't a pleasant feeling. She shivered, a chill running down her spine.   
The corridor soon widened into a cavern, the trickling sound getting louder. "There!" called Akane, pointing. "There's the water!"   
Ukyo followed her pointed finger, to see a ledge of rock, where a trickle of water was running down and staining the rocks dark, almost like blood. Almost like blood . . . Suddenly, memories of this cavern, with its trap-like ledge and spring of blood, came rushing back to Ukyo, even as protective barriers she had erected in her mind slammed down upon them. "No . . ." she whispered, backing up a step." The room spun dizzily, as more doors closed in her thoughts, blocking off memories. _Ryoga-- Ranma . . ._ Her last thought, before she knew no more, dissipated into nothing.   
  
  
Ryoga stopped, hearing Ukyo whisper something almost too quietly for him to hear. He turned, to see her standing on the threshold of the cavern, like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. Her eyes were wide, and unseeing. Ryoga started towards her. _"Ukyo!"_ he called, praying to anyone who would hear him that he was wrong, that what he thought was happening wasn't happening. With every passing moment, her eyes grew less and less intelligent, and more and more like they had been for the past few days. He was losing her again. Something about the cavern they were in had triggered something in her mind, and he was losing her again. _"NO! _I will not lose you! Stay! Don't go!" But it was too late. Ukyo looked at him, blankly, and then turned and sprinted from the cavern, tripping and falling once, only to pick herself back up and keep running.   
Ryoga started to follow her but then stopped, remembering Akane. He paused, struggling, unable to solve the turmoil in his mind. He loved Akane, always had. And yet-- Ukyo, she needed him now, more than Akane ever would or ever had. And recently he'd felt so close to Ukyo that he wasn't even sure of his love for Akane anymore. But he couldn't just run off and leave her alone in this place. At the same time, however, he couldn't let Ukyo run off by herself, either.   
Akane smiled at him, sadly. "Go," she said simply. "It's okay."   
Ryoga didn't need to be told twice. He looked at her for a moment longer, almost sadly, and then began running after Ukyo, the light from his lantern soon disappearing around the corner.   
Akane stood by herself in the cavern, her lantern burning low. The slight noise of the trickling water did nothing to stifle the strange echoes that floated through the place, the kinds of noises that one hears only when one is completely and totally by oneself. She was alone, and slowly realizing that her scanty lantern was casting far too many shadows for her comfort.   
  
  
  
_The Eye of the Beholder_, by Tori-chan: email me at saezuru@hotmail.com 


	7. Ryoga

The Eye of the Beholder ~ Chapter One DISCLAIMER: All characters except for Nayami, who is introduced in later chapters, do not belong to me. *ponders Ryoga's fangs wistfully* Unfortunately. C&C always welcome, feel free to email me at saezuru@hotmail.com if you've got any comments. Thanks for reading!  
  
  


The Eye of the Beholder   
Chapter 7   
"Ryoga" 

  
  
  
  
  
Ryoga's breath was coming in ragged gasps as he sprinted through the deserted corridors, dodging stone pillars and stalactites. Those he couldn't dodge quickly, he plowed right through. He could see Ukyo ahead of him, just out of reach. He never knew she could run so fast, however. His mind began to wander, to take his attention away from his throbbing lungs and aching muscles. Soon, however, Ryoga noticed that they were coming up to a lighter area, perhaps a larger cavern. They broke into the room, and Ryoga blinked. It was a large cavern, though bare. And all around stood every single other member of the original group, minus Akane and Dr. Tofu, and plus-- plus Ranma. He appeared to be watching everyone else, and everyone else seemed almost miserable, for some reason.   
Ukyo looked around her wildly, in a panic, and when she noticed that there were no other escapes, she sank to the ground in exhaustion. Ryoga, still sprinting, got there just in time to keep her from hitting the ground. Every pair of eyes in the room centered on them then, and Nabiki stood up quickly, staring at the unconscious girl as if she'd seen a ghost. "Ukyo! She's not-- not--"   
"Not dead?" Ryoga asked, lowering her more gently to the ground and then standing up. "No, but perhaps she'd be better off that way."   
Nabiki looked puzzled. "Ryoga . . . What are you talking about?"   
Ryoga shrugged. "Never mind." He turned his attention upon Ranma. He looked exactly the same as he had the last time Ryoga had seen him, and no worse for the wear. And yet . . . something _was_ different about him; something about the eyes . . . "So," Ryoga said briskly. "You've found Ranma, eh? Where was he hiding all this time?" He grinned at the pig-tailed boy. "You really caused everyone a lot of worry, you know. You have to stop running off like that."   
Ranma just looked at him a moment, calculatingly. Just as his look began to make Ryoga nervous, Ranma smiled brightly and laughed. "Yeah, I know." He came over towards Ryoga, who didn't see the shocked and almost hopeful looks on the faces of all the others. "C'mere, pig-boy." And he made as if to give Ryoga a slap on the back. Ryoga grinned, and before he could react, Ranma brought his elbow down on the base of Ryoga's skull. The yellow-clad boy looked momentarily confused, before he slid to the ground, unconscious.   
Shampoo sat back down, slightly dizzy. She'd gotten up in excitement when it appeared that Ranma had snapped out of his weird temperament. But it had all been a ruse. She heard a slight clinking noise and looked up to see Ranma chaining Ryoga to the stone pillar in the center of the cavern. Obviously, Ryoga's amazing strength was still a part of Ranma's memories. It was strange. Some things he remembered quite easily, while others he barely seemed to even know about. Shampoo leaned against the wall, closing her eyes. The air in the cavern was close, even stifling. It wasn't hot; just very still. No sound broke the silence, and no movement disturbed the flat, heavy atmosphere. Shampoo was still dizzy from the knife wound on her cheek and the dull throbbing of her broken finger. Kasumi had done her best to clean her cheek and had bandaged her finger with a strip torn from her skirt to keep the bone from fracturing further. Despite her attentions, however, Shampoo felt dizzy and sluggish. Kasumi was very quiet, sitting next to her with crossed legs and her hands folded in her lap. Nabiki was next to her on her other side, hugging her knees to her chest and staring blankly at the ground in front of her. On the other side of Nabiki sat Kuno, who was sitting up straight, and staring off into space with an odd expression on his face. Shampoo distractedly wondered what it was that he was thinking about, but was too tired to really be curious. She didn't know how much time had passed since they'd entered the cave; there was no way of telling time. Shampoo just knew that she'd never slept since they'd came, except for the times when she'd been unconscious. Her stomach then sent up a half-hearted complain, which made Shampoo wonder vaguely when the last time she'd eaten was, and whether they'd feed her anything here. Before she had much time to ponder that, there was a slight flurry of motion and Dr. Tofu came into the room. Everyone looked up-- except Kuno, who was still staring straight ahead with a vacant look on his face-- and saw his expression. Wisely, no one asked him what had taken place in the cave with Nayami.   
He saw that Ukyo and Ryoga had both joined the group, and also that both were unconscious. He gave Ranma an accusing glance. "What did you do to them?" Everyone-- except Kuno-- was shocked. They'd never seen Dr. Tofu use that tone before, nor get even the slightest bit angry. He was kind of like Kasumi in that respect.   
Ranma raised an eyebrow, replying coldly, "I don't have to answer to you. I could kill you, or have you killed with just a wave of my arm."   
"No, actually," Dr. Tofu said in a deceptively mild tone of voice. "You couldn't."   
Ranma's expression grew even darker. Shampoo curled into a ball, trying to distance herself from Dr. Tofu and the storm that was approaching him. Ranma's voice seemed to deepen as he said, "How do you know? If I wanted, I could just come over right now and kill you. You're no match for me."   
"Nayami-sama wouldn't allow it," the doctor said softly.   
Ranma froze. Then, with each word as sharp as bullets, he said, "No one uses Nayami-sama's name and lives." And with a rush, he attacked, so quickly that everyone else's eyes crossed trying to follow the blur of motion. He was obviously using the fighting techniques he'd learned before he came here, and yet there was an added edge to his attacks that wasn't there before.   
Dr. Tofu didn't even flinch. He hardly appeared to move, and yet not a single one of Ranma's attacks got through his defenses. Finally, he ducked, causing Ranma's foot to go right over his head, throwing the red-clad young man off balance. Dr. Tofu straightened once more, and then kicked Ranma's unprotected back as he staggered forwards, sending him into a sprawling heap a ways away from him.   
Dr. Tofu waited for a moment, and then said, "You're getting overconfident, Ranma. Don't you remember when you and I first met, and Akane mentioned that I was a good martial artist? You just didn't know how good." Dr. Tofu somehow appeared to get younger as he waited expectantly for Ranma's next attack.   
Ranma snarled at him, wiping a trickle of blood from his mouth. "I don't know what you're talking about, old man." And again he rushed an attack. It was too hard to follow the fight, Nabiki decided as she tried to see every move and got rather dizzy. A slight noise to her left which somehow carried over the noise of the fight aroused Nabiki's curiosity. She glanced over and saw Ukyo stirring a little, moaning as she sat up and held a hand to her head. She opened her eyes and saw Nabiki staring at her, and blinked curiously.   
"What . . . What are you doing here?"   
"I'll tell you in a bit. Did you hurt yourself at all running like that?" Nabiki started to move over to make sure Ukyo wasn't injured or anything, when the girl held up a shaky hand to stop her.   
"D-Don't come near me," she said in a sharper voice than was necessary. She saw Nabiki's puzzled expression and added, "I . . . need space around me now, is all."   
"Oh," came the reply. "Okay." Nabiki gave her an odd look, but let it lie. "What happened to you all?"   
Ukyo looked confused. "What do you mean?"   
Nabiki gestured to the cave. "What happened that you all got captured here? And what's wrong with Ranma?"   
"Captured?" Ukyo looked around, and then gave Nabiki a worried look. "This is the Tendo Dojo, Nabiki. I don't know what you're talking about. And there's nothing wrong with Ranma." She glanced over at where Ryoga was chained. "I think he's asleep now."   
Nabiki rubbed at her eyes and glanced round the cave. It was still just that-- a cave. Nabiki checked herself over to make sure she wasn't crazy, and then looked more closely at Ukyo. She looked normal, in everything except her eyes. They glanced around constantly, not quite focused. A little more of the whites showed than was normal. Nabiki swallowed, examining the rest of her. Her sharp eyes noticed her torn and then mended clothes, and although they offered clues as to what had happened to her, the conclusion Nabiki's mind was trying to come to was still far from within reach. " . . . Oh," said Nabiki, for lack of something else to say.   
"Are you feeling alright?" Ukyo asked cheerfully. "You look a little pale. Maybe you should go lie down."   
"Maybe . . . Maybe I should." Nabiki broke away from Ukyo's unfocused, disconcerting gaze and looked at the ground, lost in her private musings.   
Just then, there was a commotion even louder than the noise of the fight going on. All heads swivelled towards the combatants, and noticed that they'd drawn apart for a while, each standing at opposite sides of the room. Dr. Tofu was on the far side, and he appeared to be calm and unruffled, though Nabiki could see that he was hard-pressed to keep up with Ranma, and breathing heavily. Ranma stood just in front of her, breathing just as hard as his opponent. He glanced around wildly, and Ukyo was the first thing his eyes landed on. He grabbed her arm and dragged her to her feet, causing her to cry out involuntarily. Then she sagged, dangling from his grip although she was still conscious. Ranma smiled triumphantly, and then turned back to Dr. Tofu. "How would you like the girl back-- in pieces?"   
Dr. Tofu's skin turned ever-so-slightly paler, though the change was hard to pick out and Nabiki almost missed it. Other than that, he appeared as calm and cool as ever, and smiled mockingly back. Nabiki was too tired to be surprised, but if she had been thinking right, she would have wondered at this new side of Dr. Tofu. He was acting almost like . . . like Ranma was. "Her? Oh, she's just a prop. One of my disposable group members, you know." Nabiki could tell though, despite the calm exterior, that Dr. Tofu was fighting not to let his fear for Ukyo show and reveal a weakness to his opponent. But if Nabiki could see it, it was entirely possible that Ranma could too.   
Ranma laughed, a hard, bitter laugh. "Well then, you can just stand there while I have a little fun." Nabiki heard a slight noise behind and to the left of her; a clinking sort of noise. She glanced over, and saw Ryoga stirring slightly. He lifted his head, and Nabiki saw that his eyes were flat and dull, much the way Shampoo's were. Had all the fight, all the spirit gone out of her companions? What had happened to them to make them give up? And then, a sudden thought hit Nabiki, a thought that made her cold all over. _Where was Akane?_ She'd made Ryoga stick with Akane and help her on purpose, so that her little sister would have a bodyguard of sorts. Because nothing, absolutely nothing could happen to her while he was around. At least, that's what Nabiki had thought. And now, since everyone was here, Akane was either all alone in this cave, or something horrible had happened-- and Nabiki didn't want to think about that. To take her mind off of her sister's possible fate, she wrenched her attention back towards the fight. Well, what used to be a fight. Now it was merely Ranma, holding Ukyo so tight around the wrist that the blood was unable to reach her hand and the skin on her arm was a deathly white. He was looking at her musingly, thoughtfully. As if pondering what to do with her. Suddenly, the slight clinking noise behind her intensified; Ryoga had woken up completely. And he was staring straight at Ukyo and Ranma. Nabiki could almost see wheels turning in his head, though she had no clue what he was realizing. She wasn't sure what he'd do when he finally came to what ever conclusion he was coming to however, so she did the only thing she could think to do. She curled up and put her head on her knees and her hands over her head, hoping it'd be enough protection.   
Ryoga lifted his head, and his vision finally focused correctly. When Ranma hit him on the head, it had knocked everything awry in his mind, memories, and vision. Now Ranma was holding Ukyo, and he was holding her in a way that made Ryoga's blood boil. She was cringing away from him, trying to get as far away as his grip on her wrist would allow, and no trace was left of the happy madness that had held her before. Slowly, Ryoga watched Ranma's finger trace up Ukyo's arm, tearing her sleeve in the exact same way it had been torn before. Ryoga snapped to attention, the slow, confused state of mind disappearing in an instant. The words he'd spoken earlier that day replayed themselves through his mind, while he watched Ranma and Ukyo, frozen to his spot. _"I'm going to find whoever did this to Ucchan, and I'm going to kill him. But before I do, he's going to feel every bruise, every scar, every mental bit of anguish she's going through, and he's going to feel it a hundred times worse. I might even let him live for a while, just to watch him scream and sob his pain . . ." _ But had he even had the slightest suspicion that her attacker was _Ranma?_ At least the question was answered now how her attacker could have driven her insane. She'd probably had a horrible ordeal in the cave, and then come back out to see Ranma. She was probably overjoyed, and ran towards him, and then he attacked her. Ranma meant everything to Ukyo-- Ryoga knew that, although it hurt him to admit it. And to be so close to getting him back, only to realize that _he_ was the true enemy . . . Ryoga's jaw clenched. He didn't know what had happened to Ranma to make him this way, but he was going to stop him from hurting Ukyo again. He began to pull at his chains, using all his strength, leaning away from the post he was chained against.   
Shampoo was watching the scene, horrified. Shampoo had come to the same conclusion Ryoga had, only moments later. She heard a loud clinking noise behind her, and turned to see Ryoga pulling at his chains. She was a little frightened by the wild look in his eyes, and remembered what he'd said earlier about what he'd do to the one who had attacked Ukyo. But then she smiled. She knew that whatever happened, Ryoga would fix it. He was strong. She glanced at the chains, and frowned. They showed no signs of budging, nor signs of snapping, and Ryoga was pulling with all his strength. Had they somehow strengthened ordinary metal? Or weakened Ryoga?   
Ryoga pulled harder than he had in a long, long time. After what felt like an eternity, his muscles screaming in protest, he stopped struggling against the chains and sagged to the ground, exhausted. Shampoo, who'd been watching him, lifted her head and frowned at him. "What wrong with you? You need to go save dumb spatula girl! No dumb chains defeat you! Get up!"   
Ryoga barely heard her words. "It's no use," he said softly. "They won't move. They've done something to me, or to the chains. They knew how strong I was. I can't rescue her-- I'm not strong enough."   
Shampoo's eyes flashed. "You! You let them hurt Ukyo? _Kill_ Ukyo? You no a man! You a . . . a . . ." Shampoo searched through her memories for an insult that had always gotten to Ryoga, for some reason. "You a . . . a pig!"   
Ryoga's expression didn't even register the blow. "It doesn't matter any more. We're all going to die anyway."   
At that moment, Ukyo let out a low, whimpering cry, trying to pull away from Ranma. "Somebody, please! Help me!" she said, her voice quavering. "Ryoga, don't let him do this!" She was obviously not aware of her surroundings except for Ranma, but her cry got through to Ryoga.   
He lifted his head and looked at her, his heart thumping. "Ukyo--" he said softly, almost under his breath.   
Ukyo's head turned in his direction, although her panic-filled eyes were as unseeing as they had been before. "Ryoga? Ryoga!" She repeated his name over and over again, clinging to it as a drowning person would cling to a scrap of driftwood. Ranma frowned at her as her cries got louder and then backhanded her across the face, his nails causing four red rakes across her cheek.   
Ryoga closed his eyes and let his head drop. For a moment, Shampoo's rising hopes were toppled as she thought he must have given up again. She noticed, though, that his face was determined, not hopeless. He was thinking of a way out. Then he suddenly grinned, a very image of Ranma's triumphant smirk. Funny how people picked up other people's habits and quirks, Shampoo thought briefly.   
Ryoga looked as if he were going to tug at his chains again, but instead turned around towards the stone pillar he was tied to. He laid his hands against it, eyes closed, and stayed there for a moment. Then, loud enough that even Ranma lifted his head and gaped at him, he shouted, "_Bakousi Tenketsu!_" The rock shattered, spraying shards in all directions and causing the others to have to cover their faces to avoid the pieces. He then easily shrugged off the chains, and then swung one end of them slowly back and forth, advancing grimly upon Ranma.   
Ranma looked momentarily surprised, but then shrugged nonchalantly. "Whatever. One of you, two of you, a hundred of you. It makes no difference to me, after all. I could take you all on. Anyway, I've got your little girl-toy here. Don't you want her back . . . alive?" He pulled her roughly upwards, twisting her arm cruelly.   
Ryoga clenched his jaw shut so tight that the muscles stood out so everyone could see. But that was the only outward sign that showed he had heard Ranma or the brief and stifled exclamation of pain from Ukyo. "I swore," he said quietly. The ceiling of the room shook slightly, bits of stone raining down from the ceiling. Without the stone pillar that had been the large cavern's support, there was no telling how unstable the cave could get.   
Ranma raised an eyebrow, looking slightly amused. "Pardon?" he said, sounding almost polite. That was another thing, Shampoo noticed. He was speaking very proper and formal Japanese. He never spoke like that­ Shampoo didn't know he knew how.   
"I swore," Ryoga repeated, "that I would find the man who'd done this to Ukyo, and that I'd kill him." He lifted his head, his eyes burning with a rage that no one had ever seen back in Nerima. "And dammit, I'm going to do that, if it kills me in the process." And he rushed an attack so furious that the stone floor got little dents in it from his footsteps.   
Ranma, however, drew back out of the way and placed one hand around Ukyo's neck. He smiled at Ryoga, almost kindly. "I wouldn't push my luck, if I were you." After a while where the two were circling each other warily, and everyone else was looking worriedly up at the threatening ceiling, Dr. Tofu suddenly shouted, "Everybody, run! This way!"   
And nobody questioned him. As soon as they cleared one side of the cave, the ceiling caves, sending boulders and showers of little, hard debris onto the floor. It seemed like Ryoga and Ranma hadn't even noticed. Kuno, who had to be bodily pulled towards the door by the combined efforts of Nabiki and Kasumi was finally running with them, but in a mindless sort of way. He occasionally ran into things. Dr. Tofu glanced back, and saw Ryoga and Ranma with eyes still locked. He rushed back in and grabbed Ryoga's wrist, whirling him about and pulling him through the door. Ryoga struggled briefly, and glanced behind him, back into the cave, "Ukyo!" he called, "Ukyo, come on! Pull away from him!"   
And the last thing he saw, before the ceiling caved in totally and obstructed his view was Ukyo's frightened eyes, her large, beautiful eyes, looking back at him. And he thought he heard, over the roar of the cave-in, Ukyo's panic-filled voice calling back, "Ryoga . . .!"   
  
  
  
  
Dr. Tofu led the way, now that he had gotten Ryoga running on his own. He took strange turns, through passages that the others hadn't even known were there. But they followed him, for lack of anyone else to follow. He hadn't wanted to leave Ukyo there, but it was either lose her, or lose her _and_ Ryoga. And Ranma, too. He felt the sting of tears in his eyes, but quickly quelled the emotion, letting his countenance harden. Soon, after a dizzying labyrinth of secret passages, long corridors, and echoing caverns, they broke into sunlight. They slowed their pace to a walk, gradually. It was hard to be afraid of the cave with the afternoon sunlight beating down on your back. After a while, they stopped moving. Ryoga sank to his knees, looking at the ground despondently. Dr. Tofu looked resolutely away from him, settling instead for glancing pensively back towards the cave. Kuno sat down upon the ground, cross-legged, and stared off into space again, like he had in the cave. Nabiki and Kasumi both just stood there, feeling useless, while Shampoo debated trying to comfort Ryoga.   
Eventually, Nabiki said quietly, "I guess it's over, then."   
Dr. Tofu looked away from the cave, his expression an immobile mask . "Yes, I guess it is."   
Ryoga clenched his fist and then stood up. "I have to look for her! Even if I don't find her, I have to go look for her!"   
Kasumi sighed and glanced at Ryoga. "I don't think Akane would have--" she stopped, swallowed, and continued. "Made it through a cave in like that. If she didn't fall into some pitfall or something before then."   
Ryoga gave her a strange look. "Akane? She's probably alright, wherever she is. I was talking about Ukyo. She-- I--" he appeared to be lost for words. "Her face was just so . . . so _scared_. I have to find her, bring her out into the sunshine again. Even if-- even if she's not able to see it. She belongs in the sunshine. It sounds stupid, I know, but I can't just . . ." He looked helplessly around at the others, who were looking at him with sympathy and surprise.   
Kuno lifted his head, finally becoming somewhat animate again. "I will go with you," he said firmly.   
"Kuno?" Nabiki was surprised. "Why? Whatever Ryoga plans to do, I'm sure he doesn't need _your_ help."   
Kuno shook his head, shooting Nabiki a look so piercing that it startled her into silence. "I wasn't going to help him. I was going for myself." He closed his eyes, and his expression grew softer. "She was . . . so beautiful . . ."   
Everyone stared him, in confusion. Then, suddenly Dr. Tofu let out a loud curse. "Damn!" he said, startling everyone. They were seeing new sides of Dr. Tofu left and right. "I forgot. Ryoga, hurry, help me. We have to restrain him."   
Everyone continued staring, this time at Dr. Tofu. Kuno stood up and began to move, when Dr. Tofu reached out and grabbed his hand. Kuno immediately pulled out his bokken, slashing at Dr. Tofu and missing. That spurred Ryoga into action, and he quickly caught Kuno's other arm, and pulled him back roughly. "I don't know what's going on," Ryoga said, "But I'd rather act first and ask questions later." He pulled him back towards a tree, and motioned for Dr. Tofu to hold him there. While the doctor did so, Ryoga rummaged in his pack and pulled out a length of rope, which he then proceeded to tie Kuno to the tree with. When everyone else gave him strange glances, he shrugged and said with a weak smile, "I have to be prepared for everything. You never know when I'll next see civilization when I'm wandering around."   
Kuno struggled for a while, but then finally just gave up and sagged against his ropes. "Villains," he muttered under his breath.   
Ryoga then gave Dr. Tofu a suspicious glance. "Now-- explain exactly _why_ you're doing this? I still have more rope where that came from."   
Dr. Tofu sighed and shook his head. "It's-- a little problem that men who see Nayami-sama have. I'll explain later. For now, go find Ukyo. She may need you right now."   
Ryoga nodded at him, absorbing the look of understanding Dr. Tofu had given him and taking strength from it. He glanced at the others once, and then turned and began running back towards the cave.   
  
  
  
  
Akane wandered slowly through the corridors, trying to remember the direction she'd heard that loud crashing noise come from. Crashing meant cave-in, and cave-ins usually meant that there was some sort of activity going on to start one. She closed her eyes as she walked, trying to picture Ranma as she'd seen him before he left, and with surprise, found herself unable to. She could see brief flashes of him, scoffing at her from his perch atop the fence, or yelling at someone in his girl form, or even trying to escape Shampoo's romantic intentions, but she couldn't hold a picture of him in her mind. She could clearly see everyone else's face she tried to think of, but for some reason she just couldn't see Ranma. So instead, she imagined what would happen when she found him, and rescued him from whatever held him and kept him from returning home. She'd hear his voice, and she wouldn't care even if he yelled at her. She'd just be glad he was back, and _able _to yell at her. She'd hear his voice . . .   
She stopped short, a noise cutting into her daydreams. What was that she'd heard? She listened, hard, and she heard it again. It was faint, but it was recognizable. Ranma's voice. Without knowing it, Akane's pace quickened into a run, as she hurried to find him. She found herself turning into corridors, doubling back, and feeling against walls to try to find any secret passages. But finally, she came to a place where while there was still a high ceiling above the chamber, there was a huge pile of rubble where part of it had fallen down. And judging from the dust still drifting around, the cave-in was fresh. Akane skidded to a halt, scanning the pile of rubble for the source of Ranma's voice. Faintly, very faintly, she heard him call, "Who . . . Who's there?"   
Akane's voice rose in spite of herself, and she began pulling away rocks and tossing them aside. "Ranma! Ranma, it's me, Akane! Ranma, hold on!" And she lost whatever his reply would have been in the noise of the clashing rocks she was throwing away. After what felt like an eternity in which she couldn't move fast enough, Akane uncovered enough of Ranma to pull him out. He quickly moved away from her, staring at her, looking bewildered. "Ranma!" she couldn't think of anything else to say, so she just repeated herself. "Ranma!" Then, before he could reply, there was a slight shifting of the rock pile. Akane glanced down to see the very tip of a slender black foot sticking out. It was moving, ever so slightly. "Oh! Who . . .? Well, never mind." She swallowed whatever she might have been about to say to Ranma, and began scrambling through the rocks and dust. After a while, she pulled out a very pale, and very trembly Ukyo Kuonji. "Ukyo! How . . . how are you? Where is everyone?"   
Ukyo just stared at her with wide eyes. Akane looked at her, puzzled, and then gave up. She must still be going through some ordeal within her mind. Akane glanced over Ukyo's shoulder at Ranma, who was still staring at her with much the same expression as Ukyo had. He appeared to have suffered no harm from the rock fall, as he was standing up and there were no signs of blood anywhere. "Well . . ." said Akane, a little unnerved. "What are you all staring at?"   
Ranma suddenly seemed to regain his composure, and his expression turned cold. "Who are you? And how do you know who I am? Where did you come from?"   
Akane blinked. "R . . . R-Ranma? It's me, Akane. Your . . . your fiancé!" There was something different about Ranma. Something that Akane couldn't quite place her finger on. But there was something strange.   
Ranma raised an eyebrow. "Really? I don't know who you are, which is rare. You were certainly not anyone I knew before I came here. If you're a friend of those . . . you must be, since you called Ukyo by name."   
Akane didn't want to accept what she was hearing. "You remember Ukyo, but you can't remember me? You _lived_ with me! What's wrong with--" But her voice was suddenly cut off by a hand over her mouth. She turned to see Ukyo still staring at her with wide, frightened eyes, but this time there was intelligence behind them.   
"Shh!" the okonomiyaki chef hissed. "Hurry, we have to leave!"   
Akane put her hands on her hips. "Leave? No, I'm not leaving! We only just found Ranma!"   
"I wish we hadn't!"   
"What?"   
"Come _on_!"   
"No!"   
"Dammit, Akane, we have to get out of here!"   
"Why?"   
"We have to _go_!"   
Ranma, meanwhile, had been staring at Akane again. She turned her head towards him and glared at him, in her usual fashion. "What's your problem? You look like a fish."   
Ranma, in an almost trance-like fashion, said softly, "You . . . you look so much like . . ."   
Akane blinked. "Like who?" She hated being on the outside of things, and here she was as lost as poor Ryoga usually was. She felt Ukyo tug on her arm again, trying to drag her towards the exit to the cave.   
"Like . . . Like . . ." Suddenly, his expression hardened, and he changed his stance from one of shock to one of aggression. "You and that slut there are going to have to stay here. You aren't going anywhere."   
Akane felt dizzy, as if someone had whisked away the ground she stood on. "What . . . What's wrong with him?"   
Ukyo's grip on Akane's arm relaxed slightly. "I . . . I don't know."   
Akane suddenly brightened. "I know!" She pulled her now-full canteen off her neck and unscrewed the cap. Splashing him with water and causing him to revert to his girl form had always snapped him out of things before, like with his nekoken. Perhaps it would work this time. She darted forward and hurled the contents of the canteen at him. A couple of the droplets landed on Akane, and she shivered in sympathy. It was ice cold, having just come from a mountain spring.   
Ranma flicked a lock of damp hair back and then looked back at Akane, defiantly. "And just what did you think that was going to accomplish?" he asked, smiling malignantly.   
Akane stared at him. "Your . . . your curse . . ."   
Ranma chuckled. "You are a strange one. I think I might enjoy you. You might prove even more entertaining than that purple-haired Shampoo was. What is this curse of which you speak?"   
Akane's mouth worked, and she backed up a few steps. Ukyo took this as her cue and hurled the empty canteen at Ranma's head. With a final jerk, she nearly pulled Akane off her feet and bodily dragged her towards the exit. Ukyo closed her eyes, counting down softly under her breath as they ran. Just as she reached the number one, an explosion of sound behind them startled Akane into regaining her footing. It sounded like someone shouting. "Damn!" said Ukyo. "He's coming."   
"Who?"   
"Ranma, you idiot! He's just realized that we've left. Hurry!"   
Akane glanced behind her into the cave-in area. The only thing she saw before a second fall of rocks disturbed by the sudden noise blocked the path between them, was an angry face so contorted by rage and hate and violent intentions that she couldn't recognize it. Or she wouldn't have been able to recognize it, had she not seen the red Chinese shirt and black pigtail down his neck.   
  
  
  
  
Ryoga tried to remember the direction they had come when they were leaving the cave so hastily, but to no avail. There were so many twists and turns and convoluted passageways that he was hopelessly, irrevocably lost. He stopped, leaning his forehead against the wall, trying to calm down. It didn't work, and it didn't make him feel any better. It just got dust stuck to his sweaty forehead. Then, so faintly that he almost missed it, he heard a sound. It was almost like that of an angry shout, heard from a long ways away. Then, as he paused to listen for it again, he heard the light pounding of footsteps, coming towards him rapidly. He drew back into the shadows to see who it was, wanting to have the advantage of surprise if it was an enemy. Soon, two figures drew near, and he could make out the equally frightened expressions of Akane, followed closely by-- by Ukyo. He stepped out of his hiding place, calling, "Ukyo! And Akane! Over here!"   
Without even pausing, Ukyo glanced at him, made a motion for silence, and grabbed his hand, pulling him along with her. Ryoga spurred his feet into action, and soon all three had broken back out into sunlight again. They continued running a ways, until the others who were still waiting for them came into sight. Akane continued running, reaching them after a few more seconds, but Ukyo sank to her knees, exhausted. Ryoga slowed to a halt in concern, kneeling next to her. "Ukyo! What's wrong?"   
Ukyo, supporting her frame with her palms flat on the earth, shook her head, and looked up, smiling. "Nothing. I'm just . . . just tired."   
Ryoga swallowed. There wasn't that blank quality in her gaze, but he'd had hopes of her recovery before only to have them dashed later by a relapse. "Oh . . ." He couldn't say anything else, for a chunk of emotion blocked his throat.   
Ukyo nervously glanced behind her at the cave and then back at Ryoga. "I think we lost him."   
"Lost . . . lost who, Ukyo?"   
"Ranma. Akane dug us both out of the rocks, and I got her running before he could trap us there."   
Ryoga watched her, the warm sun illumining her hair and giving it reddish highlights. Her brown eyes were still round with fear, but she was relaxing more and more every second. "You . . . Who am I, Ukyo?"   
Ukyo looked vaguely puzzled. "You're Ryoga . . . why? What's wrong?" She stopped, and then said quickly, "Ryoga, are you alright? Are you hurt? Here, let me see--"   
Ryoga fended off her attempts at nursing with a hand. "No, no, I'm alright. Just . . . just tired." He smiled at her. "It's good to have you back, Ukyo."   
Ukyo felt a strange sensation in her chest as he grinned at her, showing his little fangs. It was new and solid and warm, not at all nervous and fluttery like she used to have when she looked at Ranma. She'd never been so sure of anything in her life. "Ryoga, why were you still in the cave, and hiding in the shadows like that?"   
"I . . . I'd come back to look for you. I couldn't just leave you in there with Ranma by yourself, trapped under rocks and stuff." He sighed, glancing towards the others, where Akane was being surrounded by her sisters and Dr. Tofu. "Looks like you didn't need my help anyway." In some strange way, he felt almost bitter about the fact that he wasn't the one to save Ukyo.   
Ukyo laid a hand on his arm, stopping him as he began to rise to move over towards the others. "No, you're wrong. I did need you. You-- you brought me back, Ryoga. I don't know what happened to me, but I was in this . . . dark place. I couldn't see or hear or anything, and I couldn't move. I kept trying to get out, but something was holding me there. And then I heard you say my name, and the darkness just sort of . . . I don't know, it kind of blew away like the fog gets blown away by the wind. And then I realized where I was, and saw you getting dragged out of the cave by Dr. Tofu. And then something hit me on the head, and that was the last thing I knew." She smiled, wanly. "So you see, you _did_ help. And thank you, Ryoga."   
Ryoga had been staring at her in a weird way throughout her story. "I . . . you . . . I mean, uh . . ." He glanced down, turning a little pink. "A-Ano, Ukyo . . ."   
Ukyo rolled her eyes and stood up. "You're hopeless, little lost P-chan." She pulled him to his feet, with Ryoga still blushing at her like a maniac.   
Ryoga froze, and she felt him go rigid. She glanced back at him, quizzically, as he spoke. "P-P-P-chan . . .? How--"   
Ukyo laughed. "Oh, come on. I'm not as dense as Akane is. Your fear of water, how you disappeared that night when you dropped your umbrella while fixing my roof, all those times when Ranma had called you pig-boy, and it made you madder than anything, P-chan's bandanna . . . They all point to it. I'm not stupid, Ryoga."   
"Then . . . you knew? And you don't hate me for it?" Bits of Ryoga's world, which had begun to piece itself back together again, were crashing down again.   
Ukyo looked puzzled. "Of course not. It's nothing to be ashamed of, sugar-- it's not _your_ fault that you turn into a pig when splashed with cold water." Ukyo turned, releasing Ryoga's arm. "Anyway, I'm thirsty as anything, so I'm going to see if any of them have some water. Coming, Ryo-chan?"   
Ryoga blinked and then nodded. "Yeah. And Ukyo--"   
"Yes, sugar?"   
"Don't-- I mean, please, don't tell--" And suddenly, as he spoke, Ryoga realized that it didn't matter to him anymore if Akane knew his secret. He smiled. "Never mind. Come on, let's go."   
  
  
  
  
Later, as dusk fell on the mountainside, the little group gathered together to hold a council of war. Kuno seemed to have forgotten his earlier form of madness, and had been untied and showed no signs of wanting to rush off to the cave to go find Nayami. They were all together again, and now that they knew what they were up against they could plan a better way to get Ranma back.   
"First, Dr. Tofu, I think we deserve an explanation." Nabiki crossed her arms, fixing the young doctor with a hard look.   
Dr. Tofu sighed and closed his eyes. After a moment of silence, he nodded and reopened his eyes. "Yes, you do. But right now, I think we're all hot and tired. There is a lake over in that direction a ways; how about we all go rinse off, have some dinner, and then I will tell my story."   
Ryoga turned a little pale. "It's . . . it's a hot spring, is it?"   
Dr. Tofu gave him an almost amused laugh, and Ryoga got the feeling that Ukyo wasn't the only one to have figured out his secret. "Oh no, it's just a normal mountain lake. It _is_ very cold, however, so no one will blame you if you don't want to go in."   
Ryoga swallowed, while Kasumi nodded eagerly. "Yes, I think that would be delightful, Dr. Tofu!"   
Dr. Tofu had to restrain the wild impulse to snatch up any handy nearby skeletons and run around the forest. Kasumi's smile always had that effect on him, though he'd gotten a lot better at controlling it. "Okay, follow me then." And the whole group trailed along after the doctor. After a few moments of walking in silence, they reached the lake. Nabiki was the first one in with all her clothes on, with Kuno and Kasumi following soon after. Akane and Ukyo were next, Ukyo grinning happily. Akane, however, seemed to be moving mechanically, sluggishly. She stayed in the shallow parts of the lake, and Ryoga remembered her difficulty with swimming. Shampoo rolled her eyes at Akane, and then sat down on the grass. She wasn't going into the cold water either. She didn't want to invoke her curse if she could help it. Ryoga sat down also, with his back against a tree, gesturing at Dr. Tofu to proceed.   
"Go ahead," Ryoga said with a smile. "I think I'll just sit here and watch."   
Dr. Tofu nodded and moved over towards a tiny outcropping of land. Pausing for a second, he surveyed the lake, and then brought his hands over his head. Then, with a jump, he flipped and dived into the water, causing only a small ripple.   
Ryoga yawned and stretched, warming himself in the dappled sunlight as he watched everyone relaxing in the frigid water. He waited for a while, and then after a few moments he saw Dr. Tofu's head re-emerge from the water. Ryoga frowned, squinting through the glare of the sunlight on the lake. Something seemed wrong about him, though Ryoga couldn't quite put his finger on what it was. He watched Nabiki paddle over towards him, obviously to say something sarcastic. When she reached him, calling out something that Ryoga couldn't hear, Dr. Tofu turned to face her. Nabiki stopped short, staring. "Who . . . Who are _you_?!" she said loudly.   
  
  
  
  
They all huddled around the campfire, wrapped in blankets. Except Ryoga, of course, who hadn't gone swimming. Everyone was staring across the flames at the figure who was staring glumly down into the fire. No one spoke. They'd all come out of the water quickly, and gotten dried off. The strange young woman who Nabiki had spoken to hadn't said anything. And Dr. Tofu was nowhere to be found.   
"Who are you?" Kasumi asked gently. The strange woman seemed frightened, and almost on the verge of unhappy tears.   
The woman murmured something inaudible. She had dark brown hair bound in a low ponytail, and she was actually quite pretty. She had a delicate face and a petite frame, and bright, intelligent brown eyes.   
"What was that?" said Nabiki, leaning closer.   
The woman paid her no attention, but murmured something again. This time, it was loud enough for everyone to hear. "I can't believe it . . . She . . ."   
"She? She what?" Nabiki's eyes were sharp, and she was looking at the woman with a hard expression.   
"She . . ." The woman raised her eyes. "She put my curse back upon me. I . . . this hasn't happened for so many years . . . so many years . . ."   
Kasumi leaned forward as well, looking carefully at the woman. "Curse? What curse? What have you done with Dr. Tofu?"   
The woman looked as if she wanted to cry as she watched Kasumi. "Please-- can you heat up some hot water for me, Kasumi?"   
Kasumi blinked. "If . . . if you want tea, I have some made . . ."   
"No-- no, I need hot water."   
Nabiki leaned back, her expression full of surprise. "I . . . never knew--" Then her expression hardened. "You know, if Ranma ever gets out of there, he's gonna kill you for not telling him how to prevent the Jusenkyö curse from taking effect, Dr. Tofu."   
The woman looked at Nabiki with sad eyes. "But . . . he's already found out how, Nabiki. He's already found his cure."   
Nabiki frowned. "I don't really understand, Dr. Tofu."   
The woman glanced pensively back towards the dark area that was the mouth of the cave. "Nayami has given him his freedom. Of his curse . . . and his humanity. As she did me, once."   
There was a silence broken only by the crackling of the fire. After a while, Kasumi sank to her knees, the kettle of water heating over the fire. "Nabiki, what are you talking about? Are you feeling alright? This isn't Dr. Tofu. This is a wom--"   
Nabiki picked up a nearby towel and used it to pick up the kettle. "I think it's warm enough now." And, before anyone could say anything, she dumped it over the new woman's head. Once the water had finished rushing over the girl's frame, everyone's jaw dropped in astonishment. For before them sat, blinking in the firelight, a very damp Dr. Tofu.   
"But . . ." said Kasumi. "But how . . ."   
Dr. Tofu sighed, wringing out his shirt. "I guess I should explain. When I was young, a bit younger than you, Akane, I went on a training trip to Jusenkyo. As you can see, I was stubborn enough to ignore the guide's warnings, and subsequently fell into one of the pools. To my shock and horror, I was no longer a man when I rose to the surface." He flinched, visibly, at the memory. "Once I regained my composure, a desire to get rid of the curse drove me to extremes I would never have turned to otherwise. I tried everything-- things that I prefer not to mention, or even to remember too vividly." He paused, glancing around the circle. "I was not _very_ different from Ranma, only a little . . . more devoted to ridding myself of the curse. Anyway, I eventually lost all hope of becoming a normal man. I--"   
"I don't see what you were all worked up about," interjected Akane. "Ranma lives an ordinary life even with his curse. Perfectly normal." She ignored the incredulous stares she was getting around the circle. After all, she felt she had to defend him and couldn't think of any other way to do it.   
Dr. Tofu smiled wanly. "Well, it was a long time ago. People weren't quite so . . . accepting of weird habits and abnormalities as they are today."   
"Please," said Kasumi, her pretty brow troubled. "Do continue."   
Dr. Tofu nodded, and went on. "Eventually, I began wandering from place to place. I lost all sense of dignity I once had, and lived by stealing and scrounging from the villages I passed. I don't know what would have happened to me, had I not-- well, I'll get to that. At some point, I met up with an older man named Miyake, who'd seen something strange on the mountain he'd been exploring. He'd returned to his village to find people willing to go, but they were a superstitious lot and were too afraid. He was willing to pay, so I joined him. I learned later that he suspected something of the supernatural, and I continued only through hope that whatever it was could cure me of my curse. After a while, we noticed that there were less and less towns and villages as we proceeded and would have stopped and turned around, if something hadn't caused us to keep going. Something was pulling us forward, and neither of us had the will to resist it. After a long walk and climb up this mountain, we reached the same cave I led you all to. We went inside, and found there the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. Her name was Nayami-sama, and she granted us eternal youth and vitality in exchange for our loyalty and companionship. And her love. But most of all, she granted me a cure for my curse. However, after a time, I believe she grew tired of me. She wanted more company, because even Miyake and I needed rest and time by ourselves. So she sent me out to spread word of the mountain to other men, while Miyake remained to keep her company. I had many interviews once my story was spread, the story of eternal youth and happiness. But too many people were skeptical at the easiness of what I had done, so I added in a fictional story of trials to be passed. I believe that later, Nayami put other men she lured to her mountain to the task of guarding it for her and keeping women out. Anyway, so I spread the word of the mountain as she bid me--"   
"The mythology book!" Nabiki exclaimed.   
Dr. Tofu nodded. "Yes."   
"You were . . . you were Miyake's companion!"   
Dr. Tofu smiled thinly. "For a time, yes. To continue: I traveled from village to village, and even across the ocean to China in order to spread word of the Mountain of True Sight, as I'd begun to call it in my journeys. A mountain with the power to grant a man's greatest wishes. In order to seem more credible, I began to learn the medical profession, so it would look as if I were a sensible, ordinary man. In time, I found I liked that profession very much. And so I continued to travel, not only spreading my tale but also spreading healing. One day I happened upon a small village of Amazons in China, a seemingly primitive people. But as I grew to know them, I realized that they were much more advanced than any of the Japanese cultures I'd been to." He paused, as if hesitant to go on. No one said anything, and after a time he continued. "There was a girl there-- her name was Xi Nao. It was obvious she admired me. I wasn't sure why; in my opinion, there was nothing to admire. I was a low-down, sneaking coward, and all my credentials were false. But I couldn't bring myself to tell her the truth, and after time, I think I fell in love with her. I never forgot my guilt, though. I spent one brief night with her and then left, not wanting to corrupt her any further. I told her I would return, and I had planned to once I had redeemed myself. She was the one that finally broke Nayami-sama's hold on me, and I decided I would never return to that dark cave. I eventually ended up in Nerima, which was in need of a good clinic and doctor. And so I ended up."   
Akane was staring at Dr. Tofu. "And . . . how long ago was this?"   
Dr. Tofu avoided her gaze, and that of everyone else's. "I think . . . I came to the mountain a little over two hundred years ago. And I left the Amazon village only about twenty years ago."   
Kasumi blinked at him. "You . . . You're two hundred years old?"   
Dr. Tofu swallowed. "Ye-es," he said, his voice wavering.   
Ukyo cut in, startling everyone with her brisk voice. "And Xi Nao? Whatever happened to her? Didn't you ever go back to find her? I'm sure she misses you still. Even if she found a husband or something, you should still go try to find her."   
"I have."   
"What?" Ukyo was startled.   
"I found her. And spoke to her."   
"Oh. What'd she say?"   
"I . . . found out that she'd been basically abandoned by her village after their discovery of her supposed sin. After all, we weren't married when-- well, never mind," he said briskly, trying not to meet Kasumi's gaze. "She stayed long enough to have the child she conceived by me, a baby girl, and then left the village forever. The child she left with the wise woman of the village. After a long period of wandering, she found herself here, at this very spot. She entered the cave, hoping to find some sort of shelter, and found a scroll lying on the ground. She picked it up, and suddenly she knew everything that the Nayami before her, and every woman who'd had that position before her had known. You see, Nayami isn't a person. It's more of a title. Even I don't know how old it is-- but each time a suitable replacement comes to the mountain, they find the scroll. And the moment they pick it up, they become the next Nayami." He paused and sighed. "She was bound to stay there, until someone came to be a replacement. And just recently, she has withdrawn the cure her predecessor had given me. And with it, I'd imagine, my eternal youth. So now I'll probably age and die like any normal man."   
There was a silence for a few moments. Then Kuno spoke up, softly. "Then . . . Nayami-sama is-- I mean the present one-- is-- was your Xi Nao?"   
Dr. Tofu nodded, quiet now that he had gotten his story out.   
Kasumi sighed. "Have you tried to find your daughter? The one that was left in the village?"   
Dr. Tofu just looked into the fire, avoiding everyone's penetrating and thoughtful gazes. "I . . . know her. Her mother-- she named the child Xian Pu."   
Dead silence ensued. Then, as one, everybody turned and looked at Shampoo, who was staring at Dr. Tofu with an open mouth, her face pale in the flickering light.   
Dr. Tofu stood up, brushing the dirt from his clothing. "I suggest we all go to bed. We'll decide what to do in the morning."   
Everyone stood up, except Shampoo, who was still staring at Dr. Tofu. Ukyo gently lifted the girl to her feet, and steered her towards the tents. "Goodnight," she called back over her shoulder, smiling cheerfully despite the events of the evening. The others dispersed one by one, each going to their tents, until only Dr. Tofu and Akane were left. "Aren't you going to bed?" Dr. Tofu asked her, quizzically.   
Akane watched him, with a troubled expression. "Doctor . . . please, tell me the truth. You must know some way to cure Ranma. To make him normal and happy, the way he was back in Nerima."   
Dr. Tofu shook his head, looking down at the ground. Before he did so, however, Akane saw that his expression was troubled. "No. I'm sorry, Akane, but the only way is if Nayami-sama withdraws it herself. And that almost never happens."   
Akane sank back down onto the ground. "But . . . there has to be a way! We can't just give up! There must be a way . . ." Despite her prideful attempts, she began to cry, tears rolling silently down her face.   
"N-No! Don't cry!" Dr. Tofu shuffled nervously. "There . . . there might be . . ."   
Akane lifted her head, eyes alight with hope. "How? What is it? Tell me!"   
Dr. Tofu looked at her with a pained expression. "It might not work. And it's very, very dangerous. I--"   
"I don't care!" Akane said fiercely, standing up again. "Tell me!"   
He told her. She nodded, though she was much more subdued. And, while Dr. Tofu watched with a heavy heart as the others slept, Akane took a lantern and left, heading towards the cave at a brisk pace.   
  
  
  
  
The night sounds were not comforting at all, and if Akane hadn't been thinking so hard about what she was going to do, she would have been frightened. As it was, she was frightened by something else entirely. But she kept pushing it out of her mind, hoping to reach Ranma before indecision made her hesitate.   
"You're back, are you?" The voice came out of the darkness, just before Akane reached the cave. She lifted the lantern in front of her, and could make out a tall figure leaning against the rock wall near the entrance to the cave.   
"R-Ranma?" she called out, tentatively.   
"Of course." The voice was sarcastic, almost hateful. "Who are you, anyway? And how is it that I didn't see you coming along with the others?"   
"I'm . . . I'm Akane. Your fiancé."   
"Akane." Ranma's voice was flat. "Are you in any way related to . . . well, do you have any sisters? Or maybe your mother . . ."   
"I do have sisters. Nabiki and Kasumi. And my mother died, a long time ago. Why?"   
Ranma laughed, an unhappy sound in the darkness. "No reason. Just curious." He pushed away from the wall and came towards her. Akane forced herself to remain where she was, though all she really wanted to do was run. He reached out, and traced a finger along her jaw. Even in his current state, Akane thrilled to his touch even as she shrunk back in fear. "You're a rather pretty thing, you know. Not gorgeous like that Shampoo, or spunky like Ukyo, but not ugly either." He smiled, an expression that only made Akane more afraid. " I think I might enjoy you for a while, before I give you to Nayami-sama."   
Up until that point, Akane had been indecisive. She hadn't been sure if she would actually do what Dr. Tofu had told her. It had seemed ludicrous at the time, but now . . . when confronted by his sneering, hate-filled face, so different from the one she had once known, it was like seeing a stranger. At once, she knew what she had to do. She closed her eyes, and summoned every ounce of courage in her soul. Opening her eyes, she found her vision blurred by tears. "I'm sorry," she whispered.   
"What?" Ranma paused.   
"I'm so sorry, Ranma." And in one motion, she pulled the knife Dr. Tofu had given her out of her sleeve. Then, looking into Ranma's face for any sign of his old self, she drove it into his chest. She could feel it slide between his ribs, and then felt it puncture his heart. His eyes were suddenly shocked, and he grasped at the wound. Then he reached for her, to try to hold himself up. He slid down towards the ground, his hands leaving a bloody track down her clothes, and then toppled backwards. Akane retrieved the little knife with shaking hands, and knelt down next to him, and waited.   
She waited for what felt like eternity, waiting for any signs that he would revive. But as she saw the light die in his eyes, she realized that she'd been betrayed. "Dr. Tofu . . . _lied?"_ she whispered. But she couldn't be angry-- she knew why he had done it. She swallowed, trying desperately to hold back the tears in her eyes, but for once she just wasn't strong enough. Weeping, she knelt over him and tried to will warmth back into his limbs. "Come back, don't leave me here . . . _Oh god, don't leave me here alone . . ."_   
The storm of weeping soon passed, and it left her feeling calm. Akane knew what she had to do. That she had to have been the one to take Ranma's life had been a cruel irony, but it didn't leave her completely powerless. She turned the knife and, closing her eyes and bracing herself, she dragged the blade across her arm, just below the elbow once . . . twice . . . and then all was silent, the night unbroken by noise except for the faint echo of the wind blowing across the cave and the quiet, metallic clatter of a knife falling to the stones.   
  
  
  
_The Eye of the Beholder_, by Tori-chan: email me at saezuru@hotmail.com 


	8. Akane

The Eye of the Beholder ~ Chapter One DISCLAIMER: All characters except for Nayami, who is introduced in later chapters, do not belong to me. *ponders Ryoga's fangs wistfully* Unfortunately. C&C always welcome, feel free to email me at saezuru@hotmail.com if you've got any comments. Thanks for reading!  
  
  


The Eye of the Beholder   
Chapter 8   
"Akane" 

  
  
  
  
  
Shampoo awoke in the middle of the night to an awful sound. Awful, but familiar. Automatically, she darted out of her tent and ran across the dark and deserted campsite towards Ukyo's tent. Ryoga was already there, wearing only a hastily donned pair of pants, calling out worriedly. "Ukyo!" he yelled. "Wake up! You're having another nightmare!" He opened the flap with such force that he brought the entire tent down on top of a feebly struggling figure. The screams and cries coming from the tent had died down, however. Together, Ryoga and Shampoo disentangled the frightened girl from her tent, as the others began to wake and drift sleepily out of their own tents to see what the commotion was. Ukyo was staring around her at the people with wild eyes, like a trapped animal, and the occasional rough sob escaped her lips. Ryoga took her by the shoulders and shook her until her head drooped. "Wake _up!_" he said again, not concealing the tremor in his voice. If Ukyo suffered a relapse into that madness that had claimed her earlier, it would probably destroy the poor boy completely. Shampoo felt a strange sympathy rise in her, for these two people who had somehow, unbeknownst to Shampoo, become her friends.   
Dr. Tofu entered then, having finally woken up, and tried to push Ryoga aside. The boy was still shaking Ukyo violently, trying to wake her up. Eventually, Dr. Tofu just hit him, hard, across the jaw. Ryoga stopped shaking Ukyo, and released her, staring at her with a pale face. Dr. Tofu sighed, doing his best to make the unconscious girl more comfortable. "You'd better tell me what happened."   
Ryoga started to tell the story, but appeared to have been so shaken by the night's events that Shampoo had to take over. Once she had told him the story of Ukyo, her attacker, her ensuing mental state, and her nightly spells, Dr. Tofu turned once more towards Ryoga, and said grimly, "Yesterday she seemed just fine, other then a couple bumps on the head and bruises from the rock fall."   
"I . . . had thought she was recovered," said Ryoga softly. "She knew who I was, and knew where she was." He suddenly clenched his hands into fists, his voice rising. "I should have made sure! I should have stayed with her tonight, not left her alone in the dark so soon after--"   
"There was no way you could have known this would happen," Dr. Tofu cut in sharply. "Enough of this; it's not your fault."   
"But--"   
"I . . . am okay now."   
As one, they looked down at Ukyo. Her eyes were open, and she was looking up at Ryoga and Dr. Tofu, kneeling over her. Ryoga started to say something, but she interrupted. "No, you jackass-- don't apologize. You have nothing to apologize about. That shaking got me out of that nightmare. Even if it did do weird things to my neck." She rubbed at her neck, wincing. Then she sat up, dazedly, and supported herself on her arms. "It's going to be stiff tomorrow, I think."   
Everyone continued to stare at her. After a while, Dr. Tofu waved his arm at the others, who were standing near the little scene in their nightclothes almost like spirits, staring silently. "Go back to bed, all of you. You need your sleep. Ukyo is obviously alright. You all aren't going to be however, if you don't get some rest." He stood up, shooting a glance at Ryoga that brought back memories of the stern lecture about shaking. Then he headed back towards his own tent, wearily. After a while, everyone drifted back to their tents.   
Ryoga looked around and then sighed. "I'm too tired to put your tent back up for you," he said candidly and apologetically. "You can sleep in mine, and I'll sleep outside. I did it all the time during my various travels, so I'm used to it."   
"But--"   
"No, it's okay. Here, do you need help walking?" Ryoga stood up and extended a hand, which Ukyo used to pull herself to her feet. They began to head towards the tent, but Ukyo took one step and founds her legs had the stability of jello, augmented by the vertigo she was feeling. She sat down, rather abruptly. "Are you alright?" Ryoga asked.   
"Ye-es, I think so. Just tired, I guess." They were whispering, so as not to disturb the people who were trying to sleep.   
"Here." Ryoga bent down, and before Ukyo could do more than begin a squawk of protest, he picked her up and began carrying her towards the tent as if she weighed no more than a feather.   
"What are you doing?!" she said, forgetting to whisper in her agitation.   
"Carrying you," Ryoga answered, as if it should be apparent.   
"I know that, you idiot. I meant _why_ are you carrying me? Put me down at once!"   
"Don't be stupid. You obviously can't walk. Just let go of your pride for a few minutes and then once we get there you can be rid of me."   
He sounded almost bitter, Ukyo thought with surprise. She couldn't think of anything to say, so she fell silent and rested her head against his chest in exhaustion. She was aware of the strange thrill that ran through her as she noticed that Ryoga hadn't paused long enough to put a shirt on. After a while, he reached his tent. He set her on, but held on to her so she couldn't have fallen over even if she tried to. He opened the flap and set her inside, as if she were a child. She relinquished her hold on him almost reluctantly, gathered her dignity, and straightened her nightgown which had gotten rather disarranged from her tossing and turning, and from being picked up and carried. ". . . Thank you, Ryoga," she said tentatively.   
"You're welcome." Ryoga started to retreat.   
"Ryoga . . ." she called out, halting him before he could lower the tent flap.   
"Yes?"   
"Uh . . ." Ukyo looked kind of embarrassed in the lantern light. "Goodnight, Ryoga."   
He leaned over and blew out the lantern. "Goodnight, Ukyo." He started to close the flap to the tent.   
"Ryoga?"   
He glanced back inside the tent, and could see the moonlight reflecting off of Ukyo's wide eyes and making her pale skin glow almost supernaturally. She looked very young and vulnerable in her nightgown, with her sleeping roll drawn up around her. "What is it?"   
"Will . . . will you stay here until I fall asleep?" she asked, forgetting for once to be embarrassed.   
There was a silence for a time. "Of course, Ukyo. I'll be right here." He sat down, tying the tent flap open so Ukyo could see him. After a while, Ukyo's eyelids drooped and her breathing slowed into a rhythm that told Ryoga that she was sound asleep. He turned and looked inside, once, to where she was sleeping as soundly as a comforted child, and then allowed slumber to overcome him.   
  
  
  
  
Ukyo was awakened by sunlight streaming in through her open tent flap. "Damn it," she muttered groggily, sitting up. "Who was stupid enough to leave that open?" And then, with a rush, the events of the preceding night came back to her. She sat there for a moment, reliving the previous evening with no small amount of embarrassment. Then she pulled the tent flap closed, and then realized someone had placed a freshly cleaned, folded stack of her clothing just inside. _Probably Kasumi, _Ukyo thought as she dressed herself. Once she finished, she opened the flap and peered outside again. It was a beautiful day-- there wasn't a cloud in the sky, and the most delicious smells were wafting towards her from where Kasumi was cooking breakfast. It appeared to be late in the morning, because other people were out and about. Ukyo started to move forward, when she struck something gently with her toe. It muttered something, and rolled over. "Ryoga?" she asked out loud, bewildered. _I only asked him to stay until I was asleep . . . he stayed watch here all night, lying on the cold ground with no bedroll or anything, and wearing only a pair of pants?_ Her heart went out to him then, as she realized how much it must hurt him to watch Akane with Ranma, and then have to babysit a stupid okonomiyaki chef who couldn't even go to sleep without someone to watch over her. She felt tears well in her eyes, but brushed them away. Why had Akane ever chosen Ranma, when she could have had Ryoga? For Akane's feelings were apparent to everyone, if not to herself. And it wasn't hard to figure out how Ranma had felt, either.   
She realized then, that the thought of Akane and Ranma no longer caused her such heart-rending pain-- there was a dull sort of ache, but she no longer cared the same way she used to. But when she thought of Ryoga, sitting watch over her all night, the blood started rushing past her ears in a way it never had before. She was suddenly aware of the way his muscles stood out against his arms and back even while he was relaxed, and of how his little fangs poked out of his mouth as he slept. She noticed all the little things, and suddenly had to restrain the urge to run her fingers through his thick, tousled hair and brush the locks out of his eyes. How long she sat there, staring down at him with her mouth hanging open she didn't know. But after a while, he stirred and opened his eyes.   
He mumbled something incoherent, and then blinked a couple times. "U-Ukyo?" he asked, and then sat up abruptly, banging his head against hers.   
Ukyo rocked back on her heels, dizzily. She hadn't realized that she'd been kneeling over him. "Uh . . . good morning, Ryo-chan."   
"Are you alright?" he asked, concerned, looking at her with such an intensity that she was sure the dizziness she now felt was not just from the blow to the head she'd just received. He appeared not even to notice that he'd hit _his_ head too.   
"Yes . . . I'm quite alright now. My head hurts," she complained good-naturedly.   
The boy flushed, and looked down at the ground. "Sorry," he began, but Ukyo cut him off.   
"Why do you always apologize all the time?" But then, before he could answer, Ukyo shrugged and said briskly, "Never mind. Come on, let's go have breakfast." She tried as best she could to sound normal, but she wasn't sure if she totally disguised the quaver in her voice. Why had she only just realized how much Ryoga meant to her?   
"Good morning!" Kasumi called cheerily as they approached her makeshift kitchen. "I hope you all are hungry. I think I made too much this morning."   
As they began to eat, a strange feeling came over Ukyo. It wasn't a premonition, or a warning, or anything-- just a sense of . . . wrongness. She looked up, her eyes scanning the area intently. Then, she suddenly realized what it was. "Hey--" she said sharply, trying to ignore the sudden fearful pounding of her heart. "Where's Akane?"   
Kasumi suddenly looked puzzled. "Why . . . I don't know. Now that I think of it, she hasn't shown up for breakfast yet, and it's almost mid-morning."   
Ryoga blinked and, setting down his plate, moved over towards Akane's tent. There was no sign of activity inside it. "Akane?" Ryoga called out as he neared the tent. There was no reply, so he stuck his head inside. When he re-emerged, his face was a shade paler than it had been when he stuck it in. "She's not there," he said. "And is looks as if she never went inside last night at all."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
It took a while to find the others, but once they were all assembled it was a serious-faced group that faced Ukyo. She glanced around at everyone in turn, and noticed that Dr. Tofu flinched when her gaze landed upon him. She decided to ignore that for the time being, and began to speak. "Does anyone know where she went?" she asked, bluntly. "I don't think she would have wandered off last night-- she was just as exhausted as the rest of us. But it's apparent that she never even went into her tent."   
No one said anything. The two remaining Tendo sisters had equally pale faces, and Nabiki's lips were set in a grim line. Kuno was silent. Shampoo was nervously chewing the inside of her lip, and Ryoga was staring down at his lap, a variety of emotions struggling across his face. Dr. Tofu, however, looked somehow guilty. Ukyo peered at him, curiously. "You were the last one to bed last night, weren't you?" she asked. "Do you know where she's gone?"   
Dr. Tofu hesitated, glancing to either side guiltily. That was enough for Nabiki, who leaned forward, eyes snapping. "What have you done with her, you traitor?" she snapped, startling everyone with her vehemence. "I should have known from the time we knew that you had once been a minion of that horrible woman that we shouldn't have left you alone with any of us!"   
For a moment, everyone was too shocked to move or reply. Such emotion from Nabiki was rare, and such an outburst-- unprecedented. She continued, when she got no reply. "You're just as bad as that Nayami woman is! You led us right to her, didn't you, and put us all right where she wants us! Now all she has to do is pick us off one by one, and Akane is the first to go! What happened, Dr. Tofu? Did she figure out that you're not on our side anymore? Did you have to silence her, so that--"   
There was a loud, resounding smack. Nabiki's head snapped to one side, one cheek turning a dark, angry red. "Nabiki, stop it!" Everyone's gaze swivelled from Nabiki to Kasumi. The eldest sister's eyes were flashing with anger as she stood, one hand raised. "How can you say that? Dr. Tofu is a good man, even though he deceived us. Wouldn't you deceive people if you'd had such a strange history? I know I would. And he's been helping us, at the sacrifice of the cure to his curse! He would never do something like this-- I know he wouldn't! How dare you insinuate such things, when he has done so much for us!"__   
She sat back down, slowly, but did not lower her eyes from her sister's face. Her face was flushed hotly from the embarrassment of all the attention on her, but she wasn't going to back down. "It's been hard on all of us," she said quietly. "We're all getting tense. Ryoga, last night, and now Nabiki, this morning." She fell silent, a silence which continued for a while, until Dr. Tofu spoke.   
"The truth is," he began slowly and quietly. Everyone turned to look at him, including Nabiki and Kasumi. "I do know where Akane's gone." He glanced in the direction the cave lay. "She's gone to find Ranma."   
Chaos ensued. Almost everyone jumped to their feet, ready to go off and find her, to bring her back before she got hurt, or killed. But, after a while, Dr. Tofu interjected and they all paused to listen to him. "It's no use," he said, looking down at the ground. "I . . . told her a possible way for her to free Ranma of Nayami's power. She's gone to try it. I couldn't help it; she was just so desperate to help him, I--"   
"Never mind," cut in Nabiki. She seemed to have forgotten her outburst, or at least was trying to. "Just what is this supposed cure?"   
Dr. Tofu hesitated. "I can't tell you. I wasn't even supposed to tell Akane. It's very dangerous-- if-- if--" He suddenly bowed his head, staring at the ground. "What have I done?" he whispered quietly.   
"What?" Shampoo spoke up abruptly. Up until that point, she'd been very quiet, even edgy, around Dr. Tofu. But now, she asked him in disbelief, "What you mean? What you done?"   
"The 'cure' wasn't a cure at all, but Akane had to believe it was. Ranma-- it's kinder to just let-- let him go. Permanently. Believe me, I know. And Akane . . . she's the only one here strong enough to do it."   
Everyone stared at the doctor in shocked silence. Then Kuno stood up swiftly, followed by Ukyo and Ryoga. The Tendo sisters were still staring at Dr. Tofu. "We have to find her and stop her!" Ukyo cried, starting towards the cave. It took a visible effort on her part as she steeled herself. She was so terrified of that place that even looking in its direction made her start to sweat.   
Dr. Tofu shook his head, almost sadly. "It's no use. She left just as soon as you all went into your tents last night . . ." his voice trailed off.   
One by one, they sat back down again. "So . . . we wait," Ryoga said. It wasn't a question. It was a statement of fact.   
Kasumi, meanwhile had shaken herself of the shock Dr. Tofu's words. "Dr. Tofu," she said softly. "Can you tell us just who, or what, is Nayami-sama?"   
Dr. Tofu smiled faintly at Kasumi, in a way that made her heart thump painfully even though she now knew that he was a couple centuries older than her. "I suppose you all should know what we're up against. There is a scroll-- I don't know if any of you recall seeing it on a chain around her neck? No? Well, that's it. It's very small, but it holds much power. When a possible replacement comes to a present Nayami, the replacement will come to a deserted system of caves. She will see a scroll lying on the ground, and when she picks it up all the knowledge and power of every preceding woman that had held the position flows into her. And she is bound, by that scroll, to remain there until a replacement comes. No one really knows when or why this whole thing got started, or why the position is filled with so much hate."   
Kuno was quiet until then, but he spoke up. "So it isn't Xi Nao's fault that she's the way she is?"   
"No," replied Dr. Tofu. "I knew her, once. She was a kind, loving, gentle person. It's horrible to see her in this state."   
Nabiki decided to ask a question which had been nagging at her for a long time. "How come I remember _seeing_ Nayami's face, but I can't remember what she looked like at all? No one else can either. Except Kuno, who doesn't want to talk about it, and Ryoga who didn't see her. When Kuno was acting funny the other day and you tied him up, he mentioned how beautiful she was-- but how could she be beautiful if no one can remember what she looks like?"   
Dr. Tofu paused, considering the question. "It is a manifestation of the power of the scroll. If any man sees Nayami's face, he sees her as the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. His heart's desire. He falls into a kind of delirium, and is completely under her power. The longer he is in her presence, the greater her hold over him. Since Kuno here only caught a glimpse, distance away from her got rid of that delirium fairly quickly. With me, it took a long time and distance to break her spell. But with Ranma, we can't get him away from the cave. And even if we could, it would be years and years until he started acting even remotely like his normal self. Women, on the other hand, see a normal woman. But when they try to recall her face, their minds draw a blank."   
It was quiet for a while, until Ukyo made a soft sound. All eyes turned towards her. She looked suddenly scared, and asked in a quiet voice, "Why . . . why was Ranma acting so cruel towards me? Towards all of us? And what were those illusions I saw in the cave?"   
Dr. Tofu grimaced. "The kinder the man is at heart, the greater his downfall. The men lured towards the mountain are an outlet for all the hate and bitterness that Nayami feels. So she has someone to do her hating for her, so she can remain calm, and supposedly impassive. And those illusions-- that is the strongest of the power granted by the scroll. For men, she creates illusions of their greatest desires. For women, she creates their worst fears."   
"Oh."   
There was another silence, until Nabiki asked softly, "When will it be safe to go look for Akane?"   
Dr. Tofu sighed and stood up. "We should go now. If indeed she succeeded in-- in removing the danger, she'll need someone to bring her away from the place. If not-- then all of this is useless."   
  
  
  
  
Slowly, agonizingly slowly, awareness returned to her. At first she could not move, but after a few long moments, she remembered how to open her eyes. When she did, she encountered a strange sight. She saw her wrists, carefully bound with a bandage, but she felt no pain. She doubted there were even wounds there. Why had someone wrapped a bandage around her arms? There was a knife sitting beside her, blood-stained and dirty. And this boy, next to her, not moving . . .   
Akane suddenly remembered everything. And then, just as suddenly, she wished she hadn't. She remembered the feel of the blade sliding between Ranma's ribs, and the look in his eyes when he had realized what she had done. She remembered the noise he had made when he hit the ground, and how hard it had been to pull the knife back out. And she also remembered what it had felt like to slit her own wrists. She suddenly looked back down at her arms, and pulled the bandages off. The only trace of her wounds were faint, white scars. Even as she watched, these faded away until no sign of there existence remained.   
Akane stared down at her wrists, her mind racing. Someone had healed her? That wasn't ordinary doctoring-- was something unnatural. Or magical. _Magical . . ._ she thought, something nagging at the back of her mind. _Nayami? But-- why would she heal me?_ Then another thought came to her. If Nayami had healed _her_, maybe she had healed Ranma too! Akane suddenly bent over his body, examining his chest. The knife wound was still there, and it looked awful. She felt her hopes tumbling, until she noticed a faint movement. His chest-- he was still breathing, just barely. It looked as if Nayami had healed him just enough to hang on until Akane awoke. But why? Did the woman expect Akane to perform some magical feat and miraculously cure him?   
Akane began to look around for something she could turn into a litter. Much as she hated the thought, she was going to have to get him to Dr. Tofu before-- before-- Her eyes fell on something just beyond Ranma's body. It was a small scroll, attached to a chain like someone would wear around their neck. Akane frowned at it for a moment, her panicked mind not quite grasping what she saw. Then, she scrambled around Ranma's body to examine the little scroll more closely. Maybe it would tell her how to cure Ranma!   
She picked it up.   
  
  
  
  
Ranma opened his eyes. It was hard, as if he were swimming through honey. It felt as if he hadn't moved for months. He remembered the mountain, and the trials, but everything after that was hazy, a jumble of chaotic pictures that his mind refused to sort out. He sat up with some difficulty, holding his head with one hand. Then his eyes fell upon the girl in front of him.   
She was wearing a white dress of some sort, simple and belted at the waist. His gaze ran the rest of the way up her body, trying not to notice the way the thin white fabric revealed more than it ought. She had short, dark hair, beneath a circlet of golden leaves, and she was wearing a tiny scroll on a chain around her neck. Her face, round and delicate, framed two deep, dark brown eyes. He knew those eyes.   
"Akane!" He felt a jolt of surprise run through him, but it was a good feeling at the same time. "What are you doing here? Why are you dressed like that? Why are you pointing a finger at me?" For indeed, one arm was outstretched towards him, her index finger wavering a few inches from his face. Again Ranma felt as though he had to struggle to move, and he found himself captivated by her face in a way he never had before.   
She smiled. It wasn't the same smile he knew and recognized. "So it does work. Interesting." Even her voice sounded odd. Cold, somehow, and emotionless. Something was wrong, very wrong-- it was like that time Akane had had her body stolen by the vengeful doll. There was something different here, something . . .   
Ranma struggled to keep alert. The heavy feeling was getting worse, and it was nearing impossibility for him to think straight. All he could think about was the woman in front of him. "A-A-Akane . . . what's wrong?" Even his mind was working sluggishly, and each second that passed made it harder for him to concentrate.   
She cut him off with a gesture, and smiled disarmingly at him. "Ranma, do you love me?" The woman was still holding out her hand to him.   
Ranma's mouth, still open, moved a couple times before he said quietly in a voice that would have surprised him, had he been thinking clearly, "Ye-es, Nayami-sama. Yes, I do." And with that, he reached out and took the hand she extended.   
  
  
  
  
In the bushes, a young woman with long, violet hair watched them carefully. Then she turned away, facing the forest. Free. She was finally free . . . And it was either her or that other girl, and Xi Nao did _not_ want to be trapped with that scroll for a few centuries.   
Xi Nao stood up and walked a ways into the forest, her footsteps silent on the moss-covered forest floor. She did feel a little sorry for the couple. First, with that girl wishing so dearly to have her normal boy back, and then get him back only to lose herself. It was beautifully tragic, when she actually thought about it. Her pride at completing such a good plan started to surpass her sympathy with the girl, when suddenly it died down. _You don't have to do this, anymore . . ._ said a tiny voice in the back of her mind Xi Nao halted, puzzled. Do what? She wasn't doing anything but leaving. And reliving the triumph of freeing herself, and turning her curse upon that girl, the same one who had before tried so hard to free her little boyfriend. That stupid, horrible little--   
_Stop. You're free now. All this . . . this hatred should be gone now. Remember?_ The wisp of thought refused to die.   
"It's not hatred!" she said aloud, and then covered her mouth, glancing back in the direction she had come. She waited there for a few moments, expecting at any moment to see the newly be-spelled Ranma come crashing through the bushes after her. But he didn't, to Xi Nao's relief. "It's not hatred," she repeated, in a whisper this time. "I just-- there's no reason to stay anymore, and-- and I never have to . . . have to . . . suffer . . .anymore . . ." Her thoughts were losing their potency.   
_It's wrong. All of it is wrong. The scroll has no hold over you-- you don't have to be unfeeling anymore. There's no one to do your hating for you._   
"No one . . ." Xi Nao turned her head, her eyes falling on the path she had made through the undergrowth from the clearing near the entrance to the cave. Images of the look on the faces of that boy's friends when they had learned what had happened to him kept flashing in front of her vision. __   
_His friends . . . don't they all have a right to have those two back? They'll never know what happened to them, if you don't tell them. They'll never find out. They'll stay there, waiting, until it's too late . . ._   
Xi Nao lifted her head, her eyes determined. She had to tell them. Maybe they would believe her-- if not, perhaps they would kill her. She smiled, faintly. She didn't really mind either way.   
She paused, regaining her bearings, and struck out for the camp.   
  
  
  
  
Shampoo was ahead of the others, pushing her way through the bushes in her hurry to reach the clearing. She was making so much noise that she couldn't hear the soft sound from just ahead of her. It was a small gasp, and a dull thud of a body hitting the ground.   
Shampoo parted the bushes in front of her, and saw a young woman lying on the ground, one foot on top of a root, as if she'd just tripped and fallen over. Shampoo had just enough to see that before the woman lifted her head, and stared.   
"You-- you are--" the woman whispered, her eyes wide.   
Shampoo's mouth worked silently. It was almost like looking in a mirror-- the woman had long, violet hair the exact same shade as hers, and her face had the same delicate frame, and her eyes-- her eyes were so alike, except so different at the same time. Older; much, much older. "Who--" Shampoo managed to say, "Who you?"   
Slowly, as if she was very tired, the woman got to her feet, facing Shampoo full in the face. "I-- My name is Xi Nao. I'm-- I'm sorry--"   
Shampoo took a step back, almost as if she had been slapped. That was when the others arrived, skidding to a halt when they saw what was in front of them. Dr. Tofu especially, looked shocked, as Xi Nao bowed her head. Shampoo spun around, and darted back into the safety of the group, and ironically, it was Ryoga who caught her arm before she could get herself lost in the forest. For what seemed like an eternity, nothing moved except the leaves that were stirred by the breeze.   
Someone stepped forward. It was Kasumi, wearing a strange, almost thoughtful expression. "I-- I know who you are," she said quietly.   
Xi Nao looked up at her. "You are-- you are that girl, the one that Ono--"   
Dr. Tofu made a slightly strangled noise, but Kasumi ignored him for once. "And you are Xi Nao. Nayami-sama. You're the one who did all of this . . . Aren't you?"   
Xi Nao swallowed. "Y-Yes," she replied. "But not Nayami, not anymore."   
Kasumi didn't seem surprised. "I didn't think so. Tell me, why did you decide to become normal again?"   
Xi Nao shut her eyes, as if to block Kasumi out. "I didn't. I didn't! There's-- please, you have to listen to me. Kill me, imprison me, it doesn't matter. But you have to believe me-- your two friends are in danger."   
Kasumi took a step back, obviously not expecting this. "Akane? What-- what's happening to her?"   
Xi Nao shook her head. "Just-- just go to clearing," she said, slipping back into her Chinese way of speaking in her distress. "And hurry. If you get from her soon, shock won't-- it won't-- just go!" And with that, she took one look over Kasumi's shoulder at the group behind her, turned, and disappeared into the forest.   
There was a brief pause, and then Ukyo laughed, nervously. "So. What was she talking about, anyway?"   
"I'm not sure," said Dr. Tofu, wiping a hand across his forehead. "But I think I might have an idea. If I'm right, we have to hurry, or else both Ranma _and_ Akane might suffer."   
They wasted no time, and began moving again. Ukyo noticed that Shampoo wasn't following. She was standing back where Ryoga had caught her arm, staring in the direction Xi Nao had left. Ukyo touched her on the arm, and Shampoo turned to look at her, nodding. "I'm coming," she said, smiling reassuringly.   
Ukyo smiled back at her, and then hurried to catch back up to the others.   
Shampoo glanced back at where the young woman had disappeared into the undergrowth. "Mother . . ."   
  
  
  
  
When they emerged in the clearing, they immediately saw two figures near the cave entrance. They all froze, keeping absolutely silent until it was obvious that neither of them were listening for intruders.   
Ranma was kneeling on the ground in front of a young woman, raising her hand to his lips with an expression of complete adoration on his face. The woman, however, had an almost vengeful look on her face.   
Ryoga was the first to move. He took a step towards them, his eyes wide. "She's-- she's so beautiful . . ." He took another step forward, the noise of his footfalls causing the pair to turn and spot them.   
"Ranma!" The woman turned so that everyone could fully see her face. At the same time, Dr. Tofu and Kuno took a step back, and the women all struggled to focus upon her face. They could see it, but their eyes kept sliding around it, as though their gaze wouldn't stay straight. "Ranma," she repeated imperiously, "Take care of them."   
Nabiki made a soft, almost shocked noise, and the other girls glanced at her. "Her hair--" she said, in a hoarse voice. "We can't see her face, but look-- look at her hair."   
They did. It was short and dark, and easily recognizable. Kasumi especially recognized it; After all, she was the one that had had to even out the ends after it had gotten cut off by Ryoga in those early days. Meanwhile, she had left and hurried back into the cave, leaving Ranma facing them with a smirk on his face.   
Ryoga shook himself, glancing after Akane as she left, and then stepped forward to take on Ranma. "Go on," he said grimly, tensing into his fighting stance. "Go ahead, find Akane, and get that scroll away from her. If indeed it is Akane. It didn't look like her to me, but--" he glanced at Dr. Tofu and the others. "I guess it is, judging by all your reactions."   
Shampoo frowned. "You no fight Ranma all by yourself! He stronger now that he is controlled, you get killed!"   
Dr. Tofu sighed. "She's right, you know. He'll have gotten stronger and faster under her power."   
Ryoga's eyes narrowed, hard and cold. "I have a score to settle with him. I swore I'd make him pay."   
Ukyo stepped forward then, and all eyes turned to her. "I'll help," she said quietly.   
Ryoga shook his head, relaxing a little out of his stance. "No! You can't--"   
"I _can_!" Ukyo was adamant. "All of you, go. We can take care of him. Find Akane, and get her back to normal. We'll keep Ranma here until you do."   
The group hesitated, and it was, oddly enough, Shampoo who eventually nodded gravely. "I believe spatula-girl. They be fine. We go, find Akane. Remember what mothe-- what Xi Nao say, that we hurry?"   
Kuno nodded. "We have to go and rescue Akane from that scroll's clutches! Let us hurry!"   
For once, nobody hit Kuno, and instead followed him into the darkness of the cave.   
Ryoga was spluttering incoherently, and Ukyo turned towards him, taking her spatula off of her back. "What, you got a problem?" she asked fiercely.   
"You-- you--" he began, and then burst out, "You idiot! You're going to get yourself killed!"   
Ukyo's eyes narrowed. "Oh, really? Like I could just happily leave and let you do the same?"   
Ryoga blinked rapidly, and then tried to retaliate. "But-- but--"   
Ukyo took a step towards him, her voice angry. "Think about it, idiot! One of us can't face him alone. If I fall, you fall. If you fall, I will. We're even."   
"You could have been safely with the others-- I can handle this--"   
"Weren't you even listening to what they were saying?" she exploded. "_He's stronger now!_ You can't beat him by yourself!"   
"But . . ." His argument was losing steam, and he knew it.   
"What, did you think I would just tag along with the others and wait while you went and got killed? Dammit, you men are all the same! You think you're being all noble, sacrificing yourselves to protect us, while really we're the ones who suffer while we wait, unable to do anything, in agony because I can't know whether you're going to come back to me--" Her voice stopped abruptly, and she looked down at the ground.   
Ryoga blinked. He didn't really know what to say in the face of Ukyo's tirade. "U-Ukyo--" he stammered, uncertainly.   
"You . . ." she said softly. "You . . . you JACKASS!" She glared at him, and then turned to Ranma, who was looking greatly amused. "Come on, let's fight!"   
Ryoga steeled himself, and nodded. "Right. Ranma, you will _PAY_!" And with that, he and Ukyo charged at him side by side.   
  
  
  
  
Dr. Tofu was explaining his theory as they walked along the darkened corridors. "The longer she has contact with the scroll, the stronger the bond with it will be. I believe that if we get it away from her soon, the shock won't affect her as much.   
Nabiki raised an eyebrow. "You believe? What if you're wrong about this?"   
Dr. Tofu shrugged. "Two things could happen. Either nothing would happen and she'd still be Nayami-sama, or else . . ."   
"Or else?"   
"Or else she'd die. Or be severely affected by the shock."   
Nabiki quieted down after that, falling a little behind Dr. Tofu, who began talking to Kasumi earnestly. Shampoo was in front of them, her expression stone cold and impassive. Nabiki made a face, and watched the stone floor go by as she walked. It made her a little dizzy after a while and she looked up again to find Kuno walking next to her.   
"Does anyone else besides me find this hard to believe?" he asked quietly, in a different tone of voice than his usual one.   
Nabiki shrugged, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. "Sort of. We have proof, don't we? That was Akane, I know it was. It _felt_ like Akane. But at the same time . . ." She couldn't quite put her thoughts into words.   
Kuno shook his head. "She looked the same as Xi Nao did when she had the scroll. I couldn't tell a difference at all."   
Again, Nabiki watched Kuno out of the corner of her eye. "Kuno-- what do you see, when you look at Nayami-sama? Is it Akane, or R-- or your pigtailed girl?"   
Kuno paused. "To tell you the truth, I'm not entirely sure."   
Nabiki raised her eyebrows skeptically. "You don't know? How's that possible?"   
Kuno sighed. "I don't remember too clearly. I do know she was beautiful-- and although her hair might have just been pulled back into a pigtail or something, I'm pretty sure she had short hair." He glanced at her, and then stopped walking for a second, his jaw falling open.   
Nabiki took a few more steps and then stopped also, looking back at him. "Something wrong, Kuno?"   
Kuno gave her an odd look, as if seeing her for the first time, and then shook his head abruptly. "No! N-no, I'm fine." Then his manner changed completely, and that same look of noble idiocy came over his face once more. "Come, we are falling behind! We must hasten to the rescue of the fair Akane!" And with that, he swept past her and caught up with the rest of the group.   
Nabiki stared after him with a troubled expression on her face. "Sometimes, Kuno-baby," she murmured to herself, "you really surprise me. But sometimes, I despair of ever cracking that shell of yours . . ."   
"I'm pretty sure she'll be in here," Dr. Tofu was saying. "This is the main room-- it's sort of like a throne room, I suppose." He gestured at a cavern on their left and they all entered, stopping short in the doorway.   
Nabiki, in the back, tried to stand on her toes to see. "What? What is it? Did we find Akane?"   
Shampoo answered her question in an odd tone of voice. "Oh, we find her alright. That not the problem." She stepped aside so Nabiki could see.   
The cavern was large, almost unnaturally so. There were stalactites hanging from the ceiling in vast formations, like the jaws of some monstrous beast. But that wasn't what caught Nabiki's attention. What drew her eyes downward from the rock formations were six people, all standing in a row. The problem, as Shampoo had put it, was that they all looked exactly the same, and they all had the face of Nayami.   
  
  
  
  
"Ryoga, look out!" Ukyo could see, from her position behind Ranma, what Ryoga couldn't. He was being forced backwards, towards the precipice of a cliff. Ukyo struggled to her feet, staggering slightly. She'd been kicked back against the rock face, and had to stop and try to get her breath before she could try getting up again.   
Ryoga couldn't risk a glance behind him-- he was too occupied defending against Ranma's lightning-fast blows. But he trusted Ukyo; she wouldn't disrupt his concentration by calling out to him just because of Ranma's attacks. He surged forward, startling Ranma momentarily and using his split-second hesitation to dart to the side and around him, only then seeing what it was that Ukyo had called out about. He smirked quietly, as he waited for Ranma to regroup and come at him again. "That's not going to work, Ranma. Nice try, though." He circled to one side, making his way towards where Ukyo was.   
"Why's he so focused on fighting, instead of torturing?" Ukyo asked quietly, as they watched Ranma circle.   
Ryoga thought about that for a moment, replying, "I'm not really sure. Maybe it has something to do with the person controlling him-- Akane's certainly not the type of person to do that torture stuff. She'd be more interested in just fighting-- maybe that's why. And Xi Nao has plenty of reason to be the way she was, amplified . . . she did get left behind with a child to care for."   
Ukyo tensed, waiting for Ranma to attack, and nodded. "That certainly makes sense. Look, here he comes--" And the fight began again, even more furiously than before.   
Ranma had indeed gotten stronger during his stay at the mountain, even though he'd only been there a few days. It took them both to fend him off, and they certainly weren't making any offensive headway. On a lucky hit, one of Ranma's punches caught the edge of Ukyo's spatula just right, sending it skittering off along the ground and out of reach.   
"Dammit!" burst out Ukyo. She wasn't a hand-to-hand fighter. While she was still a fairly good martial artist without her weapon, she was no match for Ranma. "Cover me, Ryoga!" she cried, and then dove for the weapon.   
"Ukyo! No, wait--" But it was too late-- grinning horribly, Ranma spun and kicked Ukyo in the stomach as she reached for the handle of her spatula, causing Ukyo to stiffen in surprise. Her eyes widened for a moment as she landed on the ground, before she went limp, her eyes rolling back into her head. Her outstretched hand was only about an inch or so away from the handle of her spatula.   
"Ukyo!" cried Ryoga, trying to make his way towards her.   
Ranma blocked him, still grinning. It was very reminiscent of the same smirk he always had when he knew he was going to win a fight back in Nerima, but it was somehow worsened by the fact that Ryoga knew that if he lost to him this time, it wouldn't merely be a matter of pride. It would be a matter of life and death.   
"It's just you and me now, Ryoga," said Ranma quietly.   
Ryoga stared at Ukyo's limp form for a moment longer, and then focused his eyes on Ranma's grinning face. "Ranma . . ." he whispered, licking his cracked lips. "Ranma, you've gone way, way too far. You . . . will . . . PAY!" He rushed at him with all his strength, lashing out with his umbrella.   
Ranma just moved too fast, evading the swing of the red bamboo umbrella with apparent ease. "Tsk tsk, Ryoga, you're getting sloppy! Surely you aren't _that_ angry that I beat up on little Ucchan there?"   
Ryoga snarled in response, letting his anger overtake him. The fact that Ranma's grammar was strangely improved under Nayami's influence only added to his fury; flailing with the umbrella, he came very near to hitting Ranma. He missed, though, and his momentum took him off balance. He staggered, trying to get nearer to Ukyo to try and rouse her. He couldn't fight Ranma alone. He almost made it, but Ranma came down on his unprotected back, driving all the wind out of his lungs. Ranma leapt off of his back, his feet landing hard on the hand that was clutching the umbrella, and Ryoga could hear the bones of his fingers and wrist crack painfully.   
Ranma stepped back a few paces, watching the results of his move with a strangely morbid interest on his face. Ryoga's fingers lost their grip on the handle of the umbrella as a wave of pain overtook Ryoga, causing him to stagger and grit his teeth. "Ranma . . ." he snarled, trying to walk again. But the blow to his back had somehow hit a tender spot, causing his legs to lose their strength. He struggled to stay standing, but had to sink to his knees. His head drooped, and he shut his eyes tightly. _I'm so useless, in the end . . ._   
"In the end," said Ranma, unconsciously echoing Ryoga's thoughts. "In the end, you kneel to me? Is that it? Are you begging, on your knees, to have your life spared?"   
Ryoga heard Ukyo stir slightly, and opened his eyes in time to see her open hers. "Ryoga . . . don't--" she began, but whatever she had been going to say was cut off as Ranma kicked her in the side. He didn't kick her terribly hard, but it was in the same spot he had hit her before and she gasped in pain, tears springing to her eyes.   
Ryoga tightened his one good hand into fists. "Ukyo," he said softly. "Protect yourself."   
"What?" Ukyo gasped, opening her eyes again and looking at him desperately.   
"What?" Ranma echoed, looking vaguely puzzled.   
Ryoga's expression didn't change. His entire face was impassive, not even letting the pain in his right arm show on his features. Ukyo's eyes widened as she understood, and curled into a protective ball despite the pain it caused her. Only then did Ryoga let the feelings that had been threatening to overwhelm him the past few days surface to his consciousness, let them wash over him like a wave. He thought about how he'd lost Akane once more, and had found Ukyo only to have her brushed aside like a troublesome fly. He thought about how easily he'd been beaten, and how he was losing the only thing that had ever come close to becoming friendship in his entire life. He thought about his swear to find the person who had hurt Ukyo, and he let it all go.   
"Shi shi HOKODAN!" he cried, and let the pent up energy flow from his fingertips in a rush, the explosion drowning out all sight, sound, and emotion.   
For several moments, Ryoga wasn't sure whether he was alive or not. It was always like that after a ki-blast so large-- for a few minutes, he didn't remember who or where he was, and couldn't really move or think properly. Once he recovered, he opened his eyes. Before him was a gently smoking crater, a dusty and bedraggled form lying a little to the left of the center of it. Off to one side, Ukyo sat up out of the rubble, holding her side and wincing. "Is he . . ." her voice trailed off as she looked at the crater, biting her lower lip.   
Ryoga swayed where he stood, the exhaustion hitting him hard. But he summoned enough strength to slide down the gentle slope of the crater, skidding to a stop as he neared Ranma. As he did so, the form stirred slightly and sat up.   
Ryoga automatically dropped back into fighting stance despite the stabbing pain in his right arm.   
Ranma rubbed the grit out of his eyes and stood up, smirking slightly. "That actually hurt a little. But weren't you listening when they said I had gotten stronger, Ryoga?" he asked quietly. There was a brief moment in which despair threatened to overtake Ryoga, and then Ranma suddenly staggered to one side, clutching his head. He mumbled something, falling against the side of the crater and pressing his face against the stone.   
Ryoga lowered his hands, taking a cautious step towards the other young man. "Ranma--"   
"D-Don't come near me!" cried Ranma, his voice muffled by the rock. He turned his head to look at Ryoga, and his eyes were frightened. Ryoga paused in his step, looking closer. Yes, his eyes were frightened, but they were his own eyes again-- that was what had been nagging at him the entire time he'd seen Ranma; his eyes were cold, and almost dazed-looking.   
"Ranma!" Ukyo, noticing the difference immediately, came stumbling to her feet and slid down the side of the crater. Clutching her side in pain, she paused a moment to catch her breath, and then asked hopefully, "Ranchan?"   
Ranma shut his eyes tightly, whispering softly, "Stay away-- I don't know-- I'll hurt you, stay away--"   
"Don't be an idiot," Ryoga said briskly. "You'll be fine."   
Ranma's eyes flew open, and the look in them made both Ryoga and Ukyo take a few steps back. They were back to that blank, cold look again, and he snarled fiercely. "I told you to stay away! You had your chance, and now you're both defenseless!"   
Ryoga suddenly realized that Ukyo had left her spatula back where she had fallen, and he'd lost his umbrella somewhere during his blast. He did the first thing that came to mind-- without thinking, he reached his arm back and then punched Ranma, square in the face.   
Ranma staggered backwards a pace and then fell heavily to the ground. Still sitting up, he swayed slightly and then glared up at Ryoga. "You dirty, sneaking, low-down cowa--"   
Ryoga punched him again. "Ranma! You . . . you . . ." For lack of anything else to call him, he cried, "You jackass! How can you sit there, while Akane needs our help!"   
Ranma's snapped back with the force of Ryoga's blow, and he reached an arm up to wipe the trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth where he'd bitten his cheek. "Akane . . ." he looked confused, but still blank.   
Ryoga brought his arm back again, ready to punch him, when Ukyo put a restraining hand on his arm. "No, wait--" she said, and took a step forward. "Ranchan?" she asked, querulously.   
Ranma began to snarl something in response, and Ukyo calmly punched him in the face, much like Ryoga had done. Ranma spluttered something angrily, and Ukyo hit him again, across the face this time. "I think it's helping!" Ukyo said cheerfully, when Ranma didn't snarl at her this time. "I guess that since he was under her spell for such a short time, all it took was for some strong-as-steel lug to knock some sense into his thick skull."   
Ryoga felt a faint smile tug at his lips, and with that smile came hope. He reached down and seized Ranma's collar, pulling the dizzy young man to his feet. "Look," he said in a low voice. "You are going to stop this nonsense and go help Akane-- I'll even be nice and let you be the one to save her instead of me!"   
Ranma coughed, and then gasped out, "Y-You're choking me!"   
Ryoga blinked and then set Ranma on his feet, loosening his grip on the boy's collar slightly. "Well? Are you going to be intelligent, or do you need another beating?"   
Ranma coughed a few more times, before grinning in a lopsided manner. "So where's Akane?"   
Ryoga released him completely and pointed at the cave. "In there, you bloody idiot."   
Ranma glanced towards the cave and straightened, brushing off his shirt. "Okay. You guys coming, or not?"   
"Count me in, sugar," Ukyo said smiling.   
"Like I'm going to let you go without me?" Ryoga asked incredulously. "I may have given up on Akane, but I'm not going to let you take all the glory."   
Ranma began to run to the cave, but looked over his shoulder at Ryoga curiously. "You've given up on Akane?" His gaze shifted then to Ukyo, who was flushing a bright scarlet as she hurried to catch up. He decided to stay quiet, and not be too curious as he passed into the darkness beyond the edge of the cave.   
  
  
  
  
The six women all smiled, saying in unison, "Welcome, my friends. Well come indeed. You all look so hostile-- surely you haven't come to kill me? Come Dr. Tofu-- you wouldn't kill the little girl you always patched up after fights, would you? Kuno, I'm surprised at you. That you could even think of raising a hand against me, your first love? And my dear, dear elder sisters-- you surely couldn't stand by and watch me get killed." They laughed, and it sent shivers down everyone else's spines.   
Quietly, Dr. Tofu said to the others, "They can't all be real . . . Nayami's powers extend only over illusion. There's only one real person here, and the others can't hurt us."   
The moment he finished speaking, all six women rushed them. Everyone tried to protect themselves, shielding their faces. Kasumi cried out-- apparently the real Nayami had struck her. Dr. Tofu struck out at the nearest figure, his fist passing straight through.   
As the fight continued, it grew obvious that they would be unable to fight her this way-- it was impossible to tell whether they were striking out at the real Nayami or an illusion, and when their hands and feet would encounter thin air, they'd get thrown off balance enough that the real Akane could follow it up with an all-too-solid blow.   
Just then, a figure burst into the room. It took everyone a minute to realize who it was-- covered in dust, with his shirt torn and his face slightly bloody, Ranma looked nothing the way he usually did. But once everyone saw who it was, they knew they were lost-- it was hard enough trying to deal with Nayami, but with Ranma helping her they were as good as dead.   
Ranma stood there a moment, staring as he caught his breath. When Akane saw him, all of the images flickered in surprise-- very briefly, but it was still there. It was enough to show everyone who the real Nayami was; for, near the back, was one figure who didn't flicker, and was staring at Ranma in open-mouthed shock. "How can you still be alive?" she asked, the illusions frozen where they had last been. "I felt your presence disappear, and . . ."   
"Oh, he's not dead," said a dry, female voice from behind him. "He just got a little sense pounded into him, that's all."   
"Ukyo!" Shampoo cried happily. "And Ryoga, too! You alright, yes?"   
"We're fine," Ryoga assured her, and then blinked in confusion at the multiple illusions scattered about the room. "What the . . ."   
Before anyone could explain, Ranma stepped forward, towards what everyone now knew was the real Nayami. Before she could gather her wits again after the surprise of seeing someone she'd thought was dead, he reached out and seized the chain around her neck, pulling it away and breaking it with a gentle snap.   
As one, the entire group held their breath. The illusions flickered wildly for a few moments, and then disappeared. The woman left standing staggered slightly and clutched at her head, backing away from Ranma. Then she stopped and straightened, her head bowed and eyes closed.   
"A-Akane . . ." began Ranma, tentatively.   
The woman began to laugh, a soft, throaty chuckle. At the sound, everyone's hearts sank. That wasn't Akane's laugh. "That wasn't very smart of you, anata," she said quietly. "You were still in my good graces before, but now I'm afraid I'll have to dispose of you with the rest of your pitiful band."   
Ranma didn't move. There was a brief silence which seemed to stretch out forever, and then finally Ranma took a step forward. Nayami raised an eyebrow, obviously not intimidated. "You can't touch me, you know," she said in an amused tone of voice. "What are you trying to do? Quit now, and maybe I'll let you die last."   
Ranma shook his head, his eyes flashing with what seemed to be anger-- but with Ranma, you could never really tell for sure. "Only you . . ." he whispered, so soft that the others weren't quite sure what they'd heard.   
Nayami crossed her arms in front of her chest. "What was that?"   
Ranma's hands clenched into fists, and he said a little louder, "Only you, Akane. You know that?"   
"I know that I haven't the faintest what you can be getting at, my dear boy."   
"Only _you_ would get yourself into a situation like this."   
Nayami blinked, and opened her mouth. Whatever she was going to say was cut off, as Ranma continued, taking another few steps forward.   
"Only you would be _stupid_ enough to pick up that dumb scroll. Only you would be _this_ dumb-- it only proves what I've been telling you all this time, you know--" his voice wobbled slightly, and he spoke even louder to try and disguise the quavering sound. "You're just-- you're just a stupid, macho tomboy!"   
Nayami's mouth fell open, and she stared at Ranma in seeming disbelief. Then she let out a little gasp and clutched at her head with her hands, falling to her knees on the cold stone floor. "No-- no, wait . . . this can't--" she murmured, her eyes tightly shut.   
Ranma continued unmercifully, coming near enough to her that he was standing almost directly over her, his voice rising in volume yet again. "You never do anything right! You weren't supposed to _follow_ me, idiot! I never meant for this to happen to you! If you'd just stayed away, I could have handled it!"   
"No! No . . ." A little moan escaped from Nayami's lips, her face contorted with pain.   
"I . . . I wish I'd never even come to Nerima in the first place! You . . . you . . . you are _SO_ _uncute!!"_   
The woman on the floor stopped moving, suddenly. Carefully, deliberately, she stood up, swaying slightly before she found her balance. Her head bowed so that her face was hidden in shadow, she spoke. "Ranma . . ."   
Ranma didn't answer-- he was only a few feet away from her, and his back was to the group so they couldn't see his expression.   
"Ranma . . ." repeated the woman, swaying once more. "Ranma . . . Ranma no . . . BAKA!" Her voice rose into a furious scream on the final word, and before anyone could blink, Ranma was on the floor with a mallet plastered to the back of his head and his fingers automatically curled into the martial arts' defeat sign.   
As Akane stood over his slightly twitching body, fuming, her hair bristling, the others were too surprised to do anything. There was silence for a few minutes, broken only by the faint whimpers of pain coming from Ranma.   
"Oh, how nice!" Kasumi smiled, clasping her hands in front of her. "She's back."   
  
  
  
  
They made their way down the mountain, Shampoo happily leading everyone in a song. Although Ukyo had originally proposed the idea on the way to the mountain, Shampoo took to it the most and kept asking everyone to sing. And, since there was no reason not to, they did. Dr. Tofu had diagnosed Ryoga with a broken wrist and three broken fingers, and Ukyo with several fractured ribs. They were both bandaged now, and didn't really seem to be in that much pain. Other than that, there were no serious injuries. Akane had had a headache the remainder of the final day at the mountain, and it was only just now beginning to fade. Shampoo permitted Dr. Tofu to get near enough to her to treat the cut on her cheek, and he predicted that it would heal nicely, hopefully without even leaving a scar. Her finger had been bandaged and splinted, and the doctor had assured her that it would probably heal just fine. Kasumi was happily keeping an eye over the sheepish doctor, after making it quite plain to him that she did _not_ blame him for what had happened, and that she really didn't care how old he was. He was still the same man she'd known, just with slightly more experience than she'd actually thought.   
The only one not singing was Nabiki. Akane noticed this and dropped back to walk next to her older sister. After trying to think of something to say for a while, she decided to just get to the point as tactfully as she could. "Why aren't you singing?" she asked.   
Nabiki glanced sideways at her sister and shrugged. "Why aren't _you_ singing?"   
"'Cos I'm talking to you. Besides, I asked first." Nabiki didn't answer, so Akane tried another tactic. "You know, if you don't know the words, you can at least hum along."   
Nabiki cut Akane off, glaring at her. "It's not that!"   
Akane continued walking in silence. Her sister had been snappish and irritable ever since they'd left the cave. She watched Nabiki out of the corner of her eye, and caught her glancing up to the front of the group with a thoughtful, troubled expression on her face, towards where Kuno was marching steadily, his attitude saying plainly that the "karaoke" was nothing without the support of the Blue Thunder, the rising new star of Furinken High School. Akane winced slightly and looked back at her sister. Akane might be slow, but she wasn't stupid. After all, it had been Nabiki who had brought Kuno along in the first place, hadn't it? All that jabber about needing him to carry her pack for her was just a cover-up. Akane suddenly saw Nabiki in a new light, and said quietly, "Nabiki, Kuno's not going to see you as anything except a source for pictures."   
Nabiki snapped her gaze away and firmly stared at the ground in front of her. "I know. But . . . it had seemed like-- on this trip, he had-- Oh, I don't know. Never mind. I'm not making sense."   
Akane tilted her head back, breathing in the fresh afternoon air. "But he's superficial and silly anyway. You can do so much better. After all, he's been in love with Ranma, for goodness' sake. How stupid is that?"   
Nabiki raised an eyebrow at Akane, saying slyly, "Oh, I don't know. Being in love with Ranma isn't all _that_ stupid, is it?"   
Akane flushed angrily, but was determined not to let her sister change the subject. "But . . . but . . . _Kuno? _I mean, really, Nabiki--"   
Nabiki glared at Akane, raising one hand and smacking her younger sister on the back of the head. "I'm not in love with him or anything, you dolt!" She rolled her eyes and once again focused on the path before them. Her expression turned serious again, and almost puzzled. "But . . . Akane, if only you'd seen him when-- earlier on the trip, he seemed sensible. He . . . comforted me when I thought you might have been--" She swallowed. "If only you knew what a . . . different person he really is when he lets his guard down. When he lets down his facade. We're a lot alike, he and I." Without realizing it, her gaze had drifted back to the figure in front of them. "I only wish I could have seen it sooner.   
Akane was, needless to say, surprised. "I . . . I'm sorry, Nabiki. I really am. It's okay, though . . . if you're right, and he doesn't really mean anything to you, there's nothing to worry about. Is there?"   
Nabiki nodded glumly. After a moment, she said briskly, "Oh, well, I only brought him along for his money anyhow. I'll find a better, richer guy to leech off of. Or I'll just expand my businesses and soon own a huge business corporation, and make millions every day. Ne, Akane-imootosan?"   
Akane grinned. "That's the spirit. Come on, join in the singing." And she began to sing once more. After a while, she heard Nabiki join in. She glanced sideways, and noticed that although she was singing, she was still staring pensively at the ground. Akane sighed. There wasn't any more that she could do. Suddenly, from towards the front of the pack, came a slight commotion. The singing faltered and died out, as everyone strained to listen. Ranma and Dr. Tofu were having some sort of argument about their Jusenkyö curses.   
"No!" Ranma was saying heatedly. "It's more of a popping sensation than a melting-- it's like someone's rearranging your insides, and not caring what you feel in the process."   
Dr. Tofu started to respond, when suddenly Ukyo, who'd been walking next to them, jabbed Ranma the ribs. Ranma made a choking noise, and glanced back at Kuno. Everyone turned to look at him. Strangely, he looked almost sad. He blinked as he noticed everyone staring at him. "What?" he asked. Then, he seemed to remember something. "Oh. Continue your conversation, Saotome. It was actually quite captivating." Although he spoke in his usual pompous, overly-dramatic tones, there was a hint of sarcasm in it.   
Ranma blinked at him. He stopped walking, dropping back towards the rear of the group of travelers, and his left eyebrow was twitching slightly. "You . . . were listening?"   
"Yes."   
"And . . . you heard what I said?"   
"Of course, cretin."   
Ranma looked even more puzzled. "Aren't you . . . curious as to what my Jusenkyö curse is?"   
Kuno shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Oh, that. I realized that a long time ago." He waved a hand negligently.   
Ranma gulped and glanced around him nervously, ready to bolt if it proved necessary. Kuno rolled his eyes. "Don't be an idiot, Saotome. I'm not in love with you. You can stop that."   
Ranma made an obvious attempt to relax. It didn't work. "But . . . if you knew, then why-- why--"   
Kuno grinned, for an instant not looking his usual clown-like self. "Oh, come on, Saotome. You just don't know how amusing you are to watch when being chased after by a man." Then his expression slipped easily into idiocy, and he stretched a finger towards the path in front of them. "Come now! We mustn't tarry here-- onwards, to Nerima! My pig-tailed goddess awaits!"   
Ranma's jaw fell open. "Er . . . Kuno?"   
Kuno paused, his step faltering. "Oh . . . sorry, force of habit there, Saotome. Well, then . . . my loyal fans at school await my return with great anticipation!"   
Ranma rolled his eyes and slowed his pace a little as the rest of the Nerima horde surged onwards. It was strange, really, how much everyone had changed on the trip, and yet stayed so alike. Kuno, although he was acting kind of strange, was still an idiot. Dr. Tofu was still head over heels for Kasumi, and now that the crisis was past, he was beginning to go insane around her again. Kasumi, of course, was unchanging. She probably wouldn't change her smiling, calm manner if the apocalypse was nigh and fire was raining down on the Earth. Shampoo had stopped clinging to him and begging for his attention, to his relief, but she was also more subdued in general. The news of her parentage probably came as a bit of a shock to her, after all. And the more Ranma thought about it, it made even more sense-- after all, Dr. Tofu was always saying things like "Oh, I haven't seen this in a hundred years!" Ranma had always taken it as exaggeration, but it looked as if the good doctor was being completely serious the whole time. And whenever Shampoo made some weird concoction, or Cologne did something odd to him, it was usually Dr. Tofu who could cure him. Ryoga and Ukyo were the same as always-- except that Ryoga was a good deal less angry and melancholy all the time, and Ukyo had finally stopped hanging on Ranma's every word. And Akane? Well, despite the fact that she was slightly more irritable than usual because of her killer headache, she seemed unchanged in the slightest. All in all, Ranma was pretty happy with the way things had turned out.   
He did have one thought that wouldn't leave him alone. He wished that Xi Nao had returned with them to Nerima. He hated the thought that she was out there all alone, with no one to make sure she didn't do anything stupid. She had been pretty horrible, he had to admit-- but still, there had been times late at night when she would let down her guard a little and talk to him. Ranma was remembering more and more from his time under her power now, and he could remember what she had spoken about to him. She'd talked about how Dr. Tofu had left her, and how she wished she had gotten to raise her daughter properly. She'd talked about how she'd been too scared to think of any way to stay in the village with her baby, and had had to leave. But what stuck in Ranma's mind the most, was how she talked about how lonely she'd been on the mountain before Ranma had come-- and how desperate she'd been for someone to talk to.   
And now, she was all alone again . . . but then, she couldn't really have come back with them anyway. She had fifteen years of her life to recall, and fifteen years of bitterness to let go of. It wasn't as if she could let all that go in just a few minutes. Ranma glanced behind him, thinking he caught a glimpse of movement in the bushes.   
_Maybe . . ._ he thought to himself, smiling just a little as he scanned the leaves for the flash of violet hair he'd thought he'd seen. _Just maybe, she'll come and pay us a visit. Just . . . maybe._ He turned then, and spotted Akane waiting for him further up the path, just a little impatiently.   
"What are you doing, Ranma? We're going to get left behind!"   
Ranma grinned and hurried to catch up to her. "So? Who cares?"   
Akane blinked, but then smiled slightly. "Not me, I guess."   
Ranma rolled his eyes good-naturedly, crossing his arms behind his head. "Even macho tomboys should think before they speak, y'know."   
"Hah! Like you're one to talk? You're such a jerk!" She swung at him with her fist, out of reflex.   
"Nyaaa!" said Ranma, skipping out of the way. "With those stubby legs, you're never gonna catch me!" And with that, he took off running down the path, Akane shouting after him to wait, and then laughing as she ran to catch up.   
  
  
  
_The Eye of the Beholder_, by Tori-chan: email me at saezuru@hotmail.com _Note:_ An epilogue will be coming as soon as I HTML-ize it, so please stay tuned! ^_~ 


	9. Ranma

The Eye of the Beholder ~ Epilogue DISCLAIMER: All characters except for Nayami, who is introduced in later chapters, do not belong to me. *ponders Ryoga's fangs wistfully* Unfortunately. C&C always welcome, feel free to email me at saezuru@hotmail.com if you've got any comments. Thanks for reading!  
  
  


The Eye of the Beholder   
Epilogue   
"Ranma" 

  
  
  
  
  
"Now we're going be late! And today of all days, too!" Akane shot me a sideways glance, her glare for once not quite overcoming the smile on her lips.   
"It's your fault, you know," I couldn't help but retaliate. It's an instinct so ingrained in my nature that I do it without thinking. And I never mean to hurt her. I think she knows that now. "If you hadn't pushed me into the fish-pond, you wouldn't have had to wait while I changed back into a guy."   
"But why'd you have to do that, anyway? Practically everyone knows that you and your girl form are the same person!"   
"I am _not_ going to graduate from high school as a _girl_!"   
Akane rolled her eyes towards the heavens in a familiar fashion as she ran, silently asking for patience. "Men!" she groaned, in exasperation.   
I didn't mind the taunt very much, but pride demanded I respond. "You got a problem with it?" Even though we were late, I was ready to argue all Akane wanted. It's almost a tradition now-- a day doesn't go by without us arguing, even after all this time. We always made sure to go to sleep at night on good terms, just in case. Other people might think it's weird, but being at that mountain reminded us both that we're not invincible, and something could happen at any time.   
Akane shook her head, for once determined not to rise to my bait. "Of course not. Let's hurry, we're almost there!" Perhaps she decided that today, at least, she should try to get along with me. For once.   
"Yep, here's the schoolyard! Oh wow . . . look at all the people!" An outside stage and podium, with seats facing it, was on the lawn in front of the clock tower, erected for the coming graduation. I saw someone waving to us, so I tapped Akane on the shoulder and pointed and we headed over to see Ryoga. There were two empty seats next to him, so I sat down next to Ryoga and Akane sat down on my other side. I know it's irrational, but I still couldn't let Akane sit next to Ryoga without feeling a spark of jealously. Ryoga will always be my rival, despite the fact that he's one of my best friends. On the other side of Ryoga, with her hand linked loosely with the lost boy's (so that he won't wander off and get lost, according to the both of them), sat Ukyo, who smiled cheerfully by way of greeting.   
Out of the corner of my eye, I watched the two of them carefully. Ryoga was living at Ukyo's restaurant now, even though she didn't really need looking after anymore. At first he'd been helping her out because it was hard to run a restaurant with a couple of broken ribs, and even someone with a broken wrist could help out. And according to Ryoga, she hadn't had one of those nightmares in almost a month now, and there wasn't any need for Ryoga to stay any longer. But it looked as if they'd carefully avoided the subject of Ryoga leaving _Ucchan's_. He has a job there now, although I doubt he ever actually earns any money. He helps Ukyo mix up the batter and take orders, bringing out the okonomiyaki when it's done. Ryoga claims his sense of direction is getting better too, ever since he had to find his way back to camp with Ukyo just after she met me while I was being controlled by that scroll. It must have something to do with urgency-- when it really counts, Ryoga can find his way around just as well as anyone else.   
For a while, I was sure Ukyo would kick Ryoga out at any time when she found out about his curse, because I've seen her get pretty close to P-chan these days. Well, I think she likes him too much and needs his help too much to kick him out for good, but I figured she do it at least until she cooled off. But you know what? Ukyo already knew. I asked her when I went over for okonomiyaki the other day, and she told me that it really wasn't very hard to figure out. She also told me that they were planning on enlarging _Ucchan's_-- some really major renovation work. They're going to add an entire new floor, with a few extra rooms and a den. She wouldn't say why, except that they just felt like having more space around the house. Yesterday, while I was shopping with Akane, I saw Ukyo with her nose plastered to a bakery window. I was about to call out and say hello to her, when Akane elbowed me in the ribs and pointed at the window. There was a rather large, rather heavily decorated wedding cake on display. I decided not to disturb her. A few days before that, I ran into Ryoga at the grocery store, and he was acting really strange. He kept muttering something like, "Sakura? That's pretty. Mariko? No, Ukyo didn't like that one. Reika . . . I like Reika . . . but what if it's a boy?" And he didn't even notice when I walked by. I didn't bring that up in conversation. I guess sometimes it's best to ignore certain things.   
Later that day, Shampoo accidentally ran me down on her bike. I should have been able to hear her coming, I admit it, but Akane was talking to me and not yelling for once, so I wasn't really paying any attention. Not to Shampoo, anyway. She's back to her usual self again, although she still avoids Dr. Tofu. She _did_ let him treat the cut on her cheek, and it has healed pretty well. You can still see a thin, barely visible white scar, though, and Dr. Tofu says he isn't sure if that will ever go away. At first she wouldn't let Mousse see her when she got home out of embarrassment about her ruined face, but Mousse didn't even seem to notice, he was so beside himself with relief at her return. I felt kind of sorry for him because she disappeared along with me and everyone else, and he was stuck at home with no idea where she had gone. A few minutes after her return, though, the crash of her knocking him down the stairs as usual could be heard a few blocks away. But knowing what I do about violence in girls, Mousse may be in more luck than he knows. At the graduation today, Shampoo was using her leverage over Mousse like a weapon. Already he had cleared a space for them exactly where Shampoo wanted it, and right now he was making sure she's comfortable. The strange thing is, though, both of them seem happy with that. If I was in Mousse's position I'd probably beat myself over the head with one of Akane's mallets until I lost consciousness. But then, they _are_ both Amazons, and Amazon men are supposed to be subserviant, while the women take the dominant role. Each to his own, I guess-- perhaps things are best that way for them. I do hear that people are starting to move back into the neighborhood surrounding the _Nekohanten_, because there aren't so many loud crashes of physical abuse in the evening. And less property damage, too.   
And yes, Dr. Tofu, of course. He still has the same little clinic, which gets more and more patients every day. He was really overloaded at first, until he got an assistant. Kasumi has a very soothing effect on the patients, because her calm smile and soft words would soothe an angry boar, much less a traumatized patient. She's taking morning courses at a university in medicine, so that she can help out some more. And in the evenings, she cooks dinner for Dr. Tofu and helps him clean up a bit. Of course, this new schedule _does_ mean that she can't cook and clean and all that stuff she used to do around our household as much, but that's alright. It gives Akane something to do besides bully me. Without Kasumi there to keep her from cooking, however, she does it all the time. But believe it or not, I think it's actually getting better. I usually manage to avoid her when she cooks, but a few days ago she made me eat some of her miso soup, and I didn't die. I didn't even lose consciousness. I was probably imagining it, of course, but it might have actually tasted alright. I will tell you something though, she _can_ make tea pretty well now. Maybe she'll just stick to tea and miso. Hopefully.   
Nabiki's been gone a lot too, lately. Of course, she won't tell us where she's been going, but Akane tells me that she has her suspicions. She never tells me anything beyond that, but that's alright. As long as Nabiki's not off concocting some sort of plan to ruin things some more, it's fine by me. She's really a decent person, under that cool exterior, you know. The other day I caught her buying a homeless guy some lunch. Of course, then Kuno showed up and announced his presence in the usual way. Nabiki griped at him, and he retaliated as he usually does, but with what I could have sworn was a teasing note in his voice. And he seemed to know exactly what to say to push her buttons. He looked up and saw me and Akane standing there, blinked once, and then ignored us and turned back to Nabiki, who was also somehow sounding teasing instead of actually angry. As if they did that every day. The strange thing was, Akane didn't even seem surprised that Kuno hadn't started gushing about her beauty and all that. It surprised me, for sure. Sometimes I'm not so sure that Kuno really is deluding himself to the point of blindness. Maybe this whole time he actually knew what he was doing, the same way Nabiki had a warm heart beneath all that icy armor. Maybe they're both actually growing up a little.   
Trying to keep my mind on the ceremony, I had to laugh at myself a little. I keep trying to find romance everywhere I look. After all, I could just be imagining things. How did that saying go? That those in love always seek to find others in the same state. On a whim, I looked behind me and saw the girl that I had seen a few days ago. She's always surrounded on every side by underclassmen guys, flushing prettily under all the attention she's been getting. She just enrolled in the high school, and is a late student. She's very pretty, with a delicately boned face and bright eyes, that are just strange enough to denote her as being foreign. She's got long, dark violet hair-- it's darker than Shampoo's, but it has rather the same sort of thickness to it. Her name, according to the school roster, is Xia. No one else who had gone on that strange and eventful journey a year ago had even blinked twice at her when they saw her, but I've got my suspicions anyway. You don't spend fifteen years with access to a powerful magic scroll without learning how to disguise your appearance enough so that even your own daughter wouldn't recognize you. That way you wouldn't have to deal with peoples' blame, for once.   
The principal is dressed up for the occasion, and is actually wearing a white shirt and not his usual Hawaiian one. He said his little speech, and began to read off the names of the graduates and hand them their diplomas. I wasn't paying attention at all-- it was rather boring, to tell the truth. I only noticed when he read off the name, "Akane Tendo." Akane rose from her seat, giving me an odd look. Had they skipped me? Am I not graduating after all? I had to restrain myself from going and asking what was wrong, so I waited for the last of the names to get read from the list. Once the last graduates cleared the stage, a graduating student who came to speak at the ceremonies stood and came to the podium. I think he might have been from a home room down the hall, but I didn't know his name.   
"These past four years have been . . . well, different," he began in an amused tone of voice. A little ripple of laughter ran through the audience. They all knew very well what he was talking about, and so did I. Some of the people near me turned to look at me-- what was going on? I hoped I really was graduating. Akane would never let me live it down if she graduated before me. "We've seen a lot of good times, and had a lot of interesting experiences as a class here at Furinken High. I'm sure you'll all remember it vividly-- I know I will. But before we draw the ceremony to a close today, I'd like to ask one more person to come and speak. There's not a single person in this school who hasn't heard of him, and stories about him will filter down to the incoming students for years to come. Stories of him or, perhaps, of _her_. Ranma Saotome, please come to the podium to accept your diploma."   
I glanced at Akane, and saw that she was grinning at me in obvious amusement. I meant what I said all that time ago. She really _is_ cute when she smiles. She nodded at me, so I stood and went up to the podium, taking the scroll from the guy and shaking his hand. I tried to leave then, but that guy caught my arm and held me there. "Come on, Ranma-- won't you make a speech? It doesn't have to be long, or anything. Just say a few words to the school."   
Looking out over the sea of faces, wincing as a few people shouted agreement that I should speak, I tried to think of something to say. My eyes automatically picked out Akane, and she still looked greatly amused. I decided that I just had to get this over with. "Well," I began. "Um." Ack, this wasn't going terribly well. I paused to fidget with the edge of my shirt and then added, "As you can see, I'm not really very good at making speeches. I guess what I wanna to say is that most towns wouldn't be able to deal with me and my friends, and all the trouble we always get into." The words just sort of fell from my mouth, and although I'd thought about what I was saying for a while, I wasn't thinking about it now. All I was thinking about now was getting off the stage. "And most schools wouldn't be able to continue with such chaos going on around them, but you all did. So I guess what I'm trying to say is, thanks. For everything, for all the memories."   
A pause came, which was soon filled with respectful applause. Now I hesitated, an idea coming to me rather suddenly. "I have something else to say, and I suppose I should just say it where everyone is all gathered to hear it. As you all know, I've been engaged to Akane for . . . well . . . several years now, and when I first came here, I promised our fathers that once I'd graduated from high school I would marry her." I ignored the little murmur running through the crowd, and pressed on. "Well, if anyone wanted to know, we're going to be getting married in July next year."   
There was a shocked silence, and I had to force myself not to look at the row of people I knew. Especially at Akane. My eyes picked out a few girls getting up hurriedly, and leaving the area with tears in their eyes, and a few young men cracking their knuckles in anger and frustration. Well, some things never change, I guess. There'll always be guys pining after Akane, and I guess I'm talked enough about that the girls know who I am. The silence was getting kinda heavy, though, and I wished someone would tell me that I could get off the stage.   
I got my wish. There was a loud crash, and suddenly I couldn't see. "Ow!" Face down on the ground, it wasn't really hard for me to tell who hit me. Looking up to see Akane standing over me, fuming silently, I peeled the mallet off the back of my head and rubbed the sore spot angrily. "What . . ." I asked, in confusion. "What'd I do _this_ time?"   
She's so cute when she's mad. Clenching her fists, she made a little strangled noise in the back of her throat. "I think you may have forgotten one _tiny_ detail, Ranma," she said between gritted teeth. "Did you ever think about asking _my_ opinion on all this?"   
Oh. Yeah. Whoops. I knew I had to be forgetting something. It shouldn't have been that easy. Wincing, I managed to say, "Uh . . . oops?"   
Everyone in the audience sighed like one entity, as we started arguing again. I could hear someone who sounded suspiciously like Nabiki say in a rather droll tone of voice, "Only _Ranma_ would actually forget to propose . . ." As usual in our fights, the scenery took an active role. Various other bits of the stage that hadn't been destroyed by Akane's original thwack to my head were flying through the air, presenting considerable danger to anyone remaining in the vicinity. But they all stayed to watch, anyway. I guess our fights always were exciting, if not amusing as well.   
Eventually, the argument just lost steam. I sighed and looked down at the ground, my energy draining. I sure screwed up this time. "I . . . I just never thought that-- well, I didn't think you'd mind. I thought you . . . thought you wanted to marry me."   
Akane sighed and shook her head. "Ranma, will you get a _clue_? Wake up and open your eyes, you dolt!" And then she leaned forward and kissed me, right there in front of everyone.   
A low, knowing murmur rose from the crowd, as friends nudged each other with their elbows, grinning conspiratorially at us on the stage. But I was really too busy to care. Akane stood up when she heard it, though, after taking a few moments to disentangle herself. "Well, _excuuuse_ me!" she said loudly. "I think we'll just go somewhere more _private_ to discuss this." And with that, I felt her grab onto my pigtail as she began to drag me off and out of sight of those near the stage. I decided that, for once, I'd keep my mouth shut and just let her do as she wanted. It was certainly fine by me.   
  
  
  


_* * *_  
  
_The Eye of the Beholder,_ by Tori-chan: email me at saezuru@hotmail.com 


End file.
